OTSEGO COUNTY, Mich. (WPBN/WGTU) — Officials and community members gathered Thursday to celebrate the donation of a new all-electric transit van to the Otsego County Food Pantry, courtesy of Consumers Energy.
The Ford E-Transit van will be used by the pantry to pick up food, make deliveries, and raise awareness of its mission to combat food insecurity.
Rebecca Brown, chairperson of the Otsego County Food Pantry, expressed gratitude for the new resource.
“The volunteers of the food pantry are excited and grateful for this amazing resource and will continue to find ways to incorporate it into daily efforts to provide food for people who have need,” she said. “Our community is so supportive and comes together to help one another. We have so many individuals, organizations and business partnerships that help us to address food insecurities. That need is real and constant, and we are thankful for all who assist in any way!”
The van, fully funded by Consumers Energy, is expected to reduce operational costs by utilizing electricity instead of gasoline. Jeff Myrom, Consumers Energy’s director of electric vehicle programs, highlighted the company’s commitment to the community.
“Consumers Energy is excited to use our expertise with electric vehicles to serve needs for people who live in Otsego County,” he said. “We also hope this van provides an example of the ease and affordability that comes when clean vehicles hit the road every day.”
The unveiling of the electric van coincided with the start of the annual Community Food Drive event, sponsored by the Gaylord Rotary and Gaylord Eagles.
This year’s event featured “Jam the Van,” encouraging attendees to donate shelf-stable foods to fill the new E-van.
Consumers Energy continues to support electric vehicle adoption through incentives for vehicle chargers and reduced charging rates.
The company is also providing electric vehicles to churches, food pantries, and other nonprofit organizations to bolster their community efforts.
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