Oxford Goodwill recently donated nearly $600 to Oxford-Orion FISH.

The money was raised through Goodwill’s ‘Round-Up’ program, held throughout the months of December and January, where each customer could opt to round up the subtotal of their purchase to the nearest dollar in the name of donating towards the organization.

Goodwill Assistant Store Manager Adam Calimeri said the round-up program is held throughout the year, for two months at a time, and added that all donations raised through the program benefit local nonprofit organizations.

He said he always strives to donate to organizations, like FISH, which align with Goodwill’s mission– to help people who are facing barriers to make a transition to independence and self-sufficiency.

“FISH helps lift up the community,” Calimeri said. “I’m hoping this donation will assist them with their program. It takes a lot of man-hours to do what they do. I’m hoping this will help FISH in whatever way works best for them.”

Since 1973, FISH has been providing free emergency groceries to families, individuals and senior citizens, who are living on low or fixed incomes or have fallen on hard times due to job loss, illness and other personal crises.

In 2017, the nonprofit organization distributed a total of 181,890 pounds of food to an average of 164 households (or 369 individuals) per month.

The donation was accepted by Oxford-Orion FISH Vice President Julie Howald, who has been involved with the organization for 12 years.

Howald said donations help “bridge the gap” between the organization’s largest annual food drives, like the Stamp Out Hunger food drive which is held in May by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC).

The drive saw nearly 40,000 pounds of food collected last year for FISH.

FISH also organizes an annual Thanksgiving food drive, which saw around 20,000 pounds of holiday foods collected last year.

“We appreciate any donations which can help bridge that time between those two food drives. They get us from one big drive to the next,” said Howald. “This donation is great. We didn’t expect this. Thank you to the community. Oxford-Orion FISH survives on donations and we appreciate everything.”

According to Howald, the donation will help feed individuals and families in need throughout the Oxford and Lake Orion areas.

To learn more about Oxford/Orion FISH, visit oxfordorionfish.org. To donate or volunteer, call (248) 628-3933 or email oxfordorionfish@gmail.com.