The Michigan Farm Bureau Agent Charitable Fund (ACF) is a donor advised fund within the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture (MFA) with a mission of ending hunger in Michigan. Following the purpose and vision of the MFA, the fund grants monies to provide food, build agriculture awareness, educate and help citizens throughout the state.
In Michigan, 1,177,820 people are facing hunger - and 282,320 are children. The ACF is committed to serving Michigan families and creating great learning environments for kids in schools. When children are hungry and worried about where their next meal might come from, they can’t learn. When children are facing food insecurity, they can never unleash the power of their dreams and ignite their full potential.
Starr Insurance Agency Involvement
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Persis Sopariwala
December 5, 2025 Agent Charitable Fund Manager
517-323-6628
psopari@michfb.com
Michigan Farm Bureau Awards Grant to Monroe Public Schools
Monroe, Mich. – Waterloo Elementary at Monroe Public Schools was recently awarded a $2,000 grant to fight childhood food insecurity by the Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies (MFBFoC) and Michigan Farm Bureau Agent Charitable Fund (ACF). Grant funds will be used to establish and stock the Waterloo Elementary Food Pantry with nonperishable food items.
Agents for Change Grants are awarded to Michigan school districts every other month. Schools are nominated by a local Farm Bureau Insurance agent and selected by a committee of ACF donors based on the need of the school and overall goal of the program.
Farm Bureau agent Kelsey Starr nominated Monroe Public Schools for the grant and is excited to continue supporting the school district with their hunger-relief efforts. As Starr says, “We recently secured grant funding to open a food pantry at Cantrick Middle School in Monroe, and were informed that sadly, all the elementary schools were struggling with food insecurity and in need of food pantries. We feel this pantry will not only allow for the students to grab breakfast or snacks each day but also provide an option for them to take food home on the weekends.”
The ACF, whose mission is to end hunger in Michigan, is a donor-designated fund administered through the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture. The Michigan Foundation for Agriculture, a 501(c)(3) governed by the MFBFoC’s board of directors, positively contributes to the future of Michigan agriculture through leadership and educational programming.
Operating at the intersection of market and moral missions, the MFBFoC has a powerful vision: a Michigan where no child goes to bed hungry. MFBFoC is reinvesting their proceeds back into their local communities and identifying effective programs, policies and practices designed to directly reduce childhood hunger.
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If you would like more information about the MFBFoC childhood hunger relief efforts, please contact Audrey Carey at acarey@michfb.com.
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Audrey Carey
February 14, 2024 Community Engagement Specialist
517-679-4739
acarey@michfb.com
Michigan Farm Bureau Awards Grant to Ida Elementary School
Ida, Mich. – Ida Elementary School was recently awarded a $2,000 grant to fight childhood food insecurity and provide agricultural education by the Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies (MFBFoC) and Michigan Farm Bureau Agent Charitable Fund (ACF). Grant funds will be used to bring the FARM Science Lab to Ida Elementary and provide students with STEM-based agricultural lessons and a farm field trip experience.
Ida Elementary School is one of three schools throughout the state to receive an Agents for Change Grant from the MFBFoC in February. Schools are nominated by a local Farm Bureau Insurance agent and selected by a committee of ACF donors based on the need of the school and overall goal of the program.
Farm Bureau agent Kelsey Starr and Ben Starr nominated Ida Elementary School for the grant and are proud supporters of Ida’s efforts to bring agricultural education to their community. As Starr says, “Ida is a small farming community and the hometown to our Farm Bureau County office. STEM teacher Annalyse Auxter has been very active with ‘outside the box’ learning and a focus on the need for understanding Michigan’s food needs and solutions. She has requested the FARM Science Lab to make sure every one of the 567 elementary students gets a chance to see and learn. This grant will further celebrate her amazing commitment to her kids and community.”
Operating at the intersection of market and moral missions, the MFBFoC has a powerful vision: a Michigan where no child goes to bed hungry. MFBFoC is reinvesting their proceeds back into their local communities and identifying effective programs, policies and practices designed to directly reduce childhood hunger.
The ACF, whose mission is to end hunger in Michigan, is a donor-designated fund administered through the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture. The Michigan Foundation for Agriculture, a 501(c)(3) governed by the MFBFoC’s board of directors, positively contributes to the future of Michigan agriculture through leadership and educational programming.
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If you would like more information about the MFBFoC childhood hunger relief efforts, please contact Audrey Carey at acarey@michfb.com.
The StarrAgency partnered with Principal Laura McDuffey Lavender and the Agent Charitable Fund - Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan to launch the Trojan Market Food Pantry to help fight childhood hunger in the MPS district, specifically at the 5/6th grade building (formerly Cantrick).
Food insecurity at home is a very real issue. Not every child looks forward to the weekend — for some, it means going home to empty cupboards and limited food options. Roughly 1 in 5 children face this challenge.
Thankfully, school social workers Livie Kleinow and Emma Favreau are our frontline heroes, managing the day-to-day needs of the students and identifying those who may benefit from the Trojan Market. Any student showing a need can visit the pantry and fill their backpack with food to get them through the weekend until school meals are available again on Monday.
In addition to using their own personal funds, the Starrs have been busy fundraising to make this possible. They recently secured a $2,000 grant from the Agent Charitable Fund and had an incredibly successful fundraising and auction night at the Monroe County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting — its members raised an additional $2,100 for the pantry!
A huge thank-you to Anna Sahloff for giving Ben the opportunity to speak, and to everyone who attended and contributed. A big shout-out to H&H Signs for the beautiful door wrap! It creates a welcoming and relaxing environment for the kids and helps make the pantry a positive, uplifting, and less stressful space.
We hope this effort inspires others to look around their own communities and find ways to support children who are struggling with hunger. Together, we can make a difference!
Kelsey Starr is one of the founding members of the Agent Charitable Fund. This nonprofit organization was started by Farm Bureau Agents who came together to form a foundation to stop hunger in Michigan. When learning about how many Michiganders are going hungry through the year these agents decided they wanted to help as many people as they possibly could. Learn more about the Agent Charitable Fund here!
In August the Starr Agency was able to present a Feeding the Future Grant from the Agent Charitable Fund to The Monroe County Opportunity Program. The program provides fresh and healthy food to low-income individuals and families across Monroe County. Learn more about The Monroe County Opportunity Program here!
Kelsey and Ben are both passionate about raising awareness of food insecurities and are honored to be able to help their local community. To them investing in this organization with other Farm Bureau agents was a no-brainer. Together in August alone, 10 organizations were granted a Feeding The Future Grant. Together they are working towards ending hunger in Michigan.