In the hopes of spreading some Christmas cheer, Farmers Alley Theatre is participating in two different donation drives this holiday season: a Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes food drive and a Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS donation drive. You can donate to either of these during the run of A Very Kalamazoo Christmas. To learn more about how you can get involved, keep reading!
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Farmers Alley Theatre has been participating in this charity for at least 10 years, as the mission of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is very near and dear to our hearts. Their mission is to mobilize the entertainment industry “to mitigate the suffering of individuals affected by HIV/AIDS”, support organizations that help those affected, and to encourage public support and awareness of the issue. If you would like to learn more about their mission statement, you can find that information at https://broadwaycares.org/mission-statement .
If you would like to donate, at the end of every performance of A Very Kalamazoo Christmas, our ushers will be holding red buckets that you can drop cash donations into. These dollar donations go towards providing meals and medication, healthcare, and hope to people who are fighting AIDS in all 50 states.
If you would like to donate to them and are not attending an A Very Kalamazoo Christmas performance, you can donate on their website at broadwaycares.org , or visit Farmers Alley Theatre during our hours of operation (12pm-4pm). Please call ahead if you would like to drop off your donation during the day!
Loaves and Fishes
In the Farmers Alley Theatre lobby, we will have a donation box where you can drop off non perishable/non glass food donations that will go directly to Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes.
During a time when there are more restrictions on food benefits and money is tight, we wanted to put our best foot forward to help an organization that strives to end world hunger and has a heart specifically for our community.
When Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes was founded in 1982, the founders recognized that people in their community were struggling with putting food on the table and wanted a more organized way of addressing this. “Today, KLF has grown to be the largest charitable food assistance organization in Kalamazoo County, serving over 38,000 unduplicated individuals each year. KLF is the largest independent food bank in Michigan. With help from our community, we provide an average of 850 people with groceries each day and distribute food to over 95 different locations.” (Information found on KLF About Page).
If you would like to donate to Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes, you can feel free to bring food items to our lobby before your scheduled performance, you can visit during our opening hours, or you can donate directly to Loaves and Fishes and even become a volunteer. Find out more information at kzoolf.org/give-help .
The items in greatest need currently are:
- Jelly/Jam
- Cereal
- Canned Soups and Stews
-Meals in a Box (like Hamburger Helper)
- Shelf-Stable Almond or Rice Milk
- Baking Mixes (like Jiffy or Bisquick)
- Ensure® or similar protein drinks
- Canned Meat
- Shelf-Stable Tortillas
- Granola Bars and Children's Snacks
- Microwavable Foods (like rice in a bag)
- Special Diet Foods (e.g. gluten-free)
We want to donate as much food as we can and firmly believe that our theatre patrons have the heart! Thank you in advance for your generosity!