C. Wimberley Auto Group this week kicks off its second annual blitz with other local businesses to feed the hungry in the Dowagiac area.
Nonperishable food “will all be handed out before Christmas,” said Chuck Wimberley, who has been a car dealer here for 23 years, with two locations on M-51 South.
When Dowagiac stepped up to the challenge in 2010, an estimated 41,000 pounds of food filled the Ford showroom three times.
“We buy staples,” Dale Dandurand, a sales consultamt, said. “Peanut butter and jelly. Mac and cheese. Canned vegetables. We bought I don’t know how many skids of 31-pound bags of rice. Throw in some chicken soup and you’ve got a meal. That goes a long way.
“We buy pallets from the food bank in Benton Harbor-St. Joseph. We pay 16 cents a pound, or 25 cents on the dollar, so what you’d pay a dollar for in a grocery store, we’re buying for a quarter. Everything goes back into this community.”
“We bought a lot of baby formula,” Wimberley said, “then we give it to the different churches because they know who needs it. We try to spread it around” by working with ACTION (14 Area Churches Together in One Network) and with churches outside the network.
A printout of elves who assisted in 2010 fills four pages, proving Dandurand’s pet point: “It’s about bringing a bunch of people together with a little bit each, like if you could sell a million products at a dollar each. If you’re not one of the people who need help, you should help. If everybody in the business community pitches in a little, we’ve got a big pie to do something with. That’s the whole idea of the real visible stickers on the vehicles. Next year, we want to have a vehicle stickered ahead of time and have it in the Christmas parade.”
Saturday the stickered vehicles and volunteers will be stationed at Harding’s and Family Fare.
“Every person I’ve talked to who gave last year is giving again,” Wimberley said.
“There’s more need this year than last year,” Dandurand said. “Even though unemployment’s down, a lot of people fell off the rolls. If you’re in need and need help, don’t be afraid to communicate with one of the local churches, whether you belong there or not. They will help you. It’s a tough time for a lot of people. Some have been out of work for a long time.
“We’re blessed with good employment selling cars. Our business is doing well, and we’re very thankful for that, so at this time of year we like to reach out and try to help other folks. This isn’t about selling cars, it’s about bringing the community together. Everyone rallying together will just make it that much better. I do this because it makes me feel good.”
Drop off nonperishable food items to any C. Wimberley location or call (269) 782-2151 and a driver will be dispatched to you.