Currently one in five children in Michigan worry about hunger and 300,000 school-aged children are eligible for free or reduced school lunch. Often times these children will have less to eat at home during the weekend or during school breaks.

On Thursday, March 23 Gleaners officially kicked off the Million Meals Match during the Power Women’s Happy Hour at MGM Grand. The non profit is currently raising money to provide one million meals for hungry children around Southeast Michigan.

For the past 40 years Gleaners has been an important part of helping families metro Detroit get nourishing food to eat.

The Power Women’s Happy Hour was a huge success on Thursday night. After calculating in the event sponsors, tickets to the event, raffle drawing, silent auction, and milk for a year donations the entire evening raised $42,000. After the match from PNC Bank, Delta Airlines, Quicken Loans, Shipt, Beaumont, MGM Grand Detroit, and Michigan.com the event raised 252,000 meals.

Normally when you donate money to Gleaners $1 equals three meals, however during the Million Meal Match $1 equals six meals.

The money raised during the Million Meals Match will go towards Gleaners school-based feeding programs like the Gleaners’ Mobile Pantry. The mobile food pantry delivers boxes of food to 80 local schools in Macomb, Livingston, Wayne, Monroe, and Oakland counties. It helps close to 8,000 families get fresh fruits, vegetables, and non-perishable items.

There are a few ways to help Gleaners make their goal of one million meals.

You can donate directly to the Gleaners website, you can watch Fox 2 on Tuesday, April 25 during the Gleaners Double Your Donation Day, or if you can buy tickets to the 24th annual Power Women’s Breakfast on Thursday, April 27.