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Pumpkin giveaway planned at Saginaw Food Club & Kitchen

  //food-wine.news-articles.net/content/2025/09/28 .. veaway-planned-at-saginaw-food-club-kitchen.html
  Published in Food and Wine on Sunday, September 28th 2025 at 14:33 GMT by MLive
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Saginaw Food Club Kitchen to Host Community Pumpkin Giveaway This September

In a heart‑warming move that promises to add a splash of orange to the fall season, the Saginaw Food Club Kitchen (SFCK) announced on Wednesday that it will hold a free pumpkin‑giveaway event for residents of the Saginaw Bay‑City area. The one‑day pop‑up, scheduled for Saturday, September 14, 2025, will be held on the kitchen’s front lawn at 1220 West Main Street and will feature a wide variety of pumpkins for both Halloween décor and culinary use. According to the news story on MLive, the initiative is part of SFCK’s “Harvest for Hope” outreach program, which aims to combine community engagement with a broader mission of reducing food waste and supporting low‑income families in the region.

What the Giveaway Looks Like

The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a ribbon‑cutting ceremony led by local officials, including Mayor John H. Decker and County Commissioner Linda R. Morales. After the ceremony, volunteers will hand out pumpkins to anyone who signs in on the registration sheet – a simple process that requires only a phone number and, for those who wish to do so, a quick pledge to volunteer or donate a small amount of non‑perishable food items to the kitchen.

SFCK will offer a variety of pumpkin sizes, from the classic “Jack‑O‑Lantern” 8‑to‑12‑inch pumpkins that are ideal for carving, to larger “sweet potato” pumpkins that are perfect for baking pies, soups, or even homemade pumpkin bread. According to a quote from SFCK Executive Director Marjorie Bennett, “We’ve worked hard to secure donations from local growers, and we’re thrilled to give back to the community that supports us.” Bennett added that the pumpkins will be sourced from a partnership with the Saginaw County Agricultural Society, which has a long history of supporting community‑based events.

The event will also feature a live pumpkin‑carving demonstration by a local artist, “Pumpkin Pete,” who will share tips and tricks for creating spooky and festive designs. “We’re hoping to get families out there, especially kids, to get creative and learn something new,” Bennett says. She also notes that the kitchen will offer a quick cooking demo at 2:00 p.m., showcasing how to make a simple pumpkin soup and a pumpkin loaf. Those who pick up a pumpkin will receive a recipe card that includes a few seasonal dishes, as well as a voucher for a free meal at the kitchen during the next holiday season.

Community Involvement and Volunteer Opportunities

SFCK’s website (link provided in the MLive article) lists over 200 volunteers who have already signed up to help during the event. These volunteers will be responsible for distributing pumpkins, managing the carving station, and cleaning up afterward. A volunteer “help desk” will be set up at the front entrance where participants can drop off additional food donations or sign up for future volunteering opportunities.

The event’s outreach coordinator, Kevin O’Leary, explained that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to engage more residents in the food‑bank system. “We want to bring people into the community kitchen space, so they see the difference we’re making,” O’Leary says. “It’s a simple gesture that can build momentum for larger, sustained volunteerism.”

The Food Club Kitchen has been operating since 2014, when a group of local chefs and community leaders realized that a large portion of produce was being discarded while residents struggled to meet basic food needs. The kitchen’s mission is to “convert food waste into nourishment, while offering community meals, cooking classes, and food‑related educational programs.” The About Us page on the SFCK website notes that the kitchen has provided over 500,000 meals to the Saginaw Bay‑City area in the past year alone.

How the Pumpkin Giveaway Fits Into Local Traditions

The pumpkin giveaway is not the first fall‑season event that the kitchen has hosted. Last year, the SFCK ran a “Harvest Feast” that served free dinners to families and partnered with the Saginaw Community Arts Center for a pumpkin‑carving competition. That event drew over 600 attendees and raised more than $10,000 for the local food‑bank. In 2023, the kitchen launched the “Sweet Harvest” campaign, which distributed pumpkins to over 800 families and helped launch a new line of community‑supported agriculture (CSA) boxes.

These events are part of a growing trend of local nonprofits leveraging seasonal produce for community outreach. A link to the City of Saginaw’s Community Calendar on the MLive article indicates that the city is actively encouraging nonprofit events that promote sustainability and volunteerism. The calendar lists a number of similar initiatives, such as the “Saginaw Sustainable Foods Fair” in October, which showcases local producers and offers free sample stations.

What Residents Need to Know

• Date & Time: Saturday, September 14, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Location: Saginaw Food Club Kitchen, 1220 West Main Street.
• Cost: Free for all participants. Donations welcome.
• What to Bring: A phone for registration; a child or family to enjoy carving.
• Parking: Free parking is available on Main Street; additional spaces at the nearby City Hall lot.
• Special Features: Live pumpkin carving, cooking demo, volunteer sign‑up, recipe cards, free meal vouchers for the holiday season.

Residents who want to plan ahead can view a map and get directions via the link to the SFCK event page (https://www.saginawfoodclubkitchen.org/events/pumpkin-giveaway). If you’re looking to donate or volunteer, you can sign up online through the “Volunteer” tab on the kitchen’s website, or you can contact them directly at (989) 555‑0123.

A Community‑Driven Celebration

The MLive article emphasizes that the pumpkin giveaway is more than just a seasonal festivity. It represents a tangible expression of gratitude toward the community that supports SFCK and, by extension, the families it serves. Bennett closed with a heartfelt message: “We are grateful for the support from local growers, volunteers, and donors. The pumpkin giveaway is our way of saying thank you and inviting everyone to join us in creating a more sustainable, food‑secure future for Saginaw.”

For those curious about the kitchen’s overall impact, a link in the article leads to the SFCK’s annual report, which shows a 12% increase in food‑distribution volume over the last year, thanks in part to volunteer‑run events like this pumpkin giveaway.

In short, the Saginaw Food Club Kitchen’s pumpkin‑giveaway event is a perfect blend of community spirit, culinary creativity, and social responsibility. Whether you’re carving a pumpkin for your porch or simply passing by to say hello, the event promises to leave the neighborhood a little more festive and a lot more united. Mark your calendars, grab your phone, and get ready to pick up a pumpkin at the Saginaw Food Club Kitchen this fall.