Jason Vines joins Forgotten Harvest as newly created Senior Advancement Director

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OAK PARK, Mich., March 6, 2009 – Forgotten Harvest, metro Detroit’s only mobile food rescue organization, has appointed Jason H. Vines to the newly created position of Senior Advancement Director. Vines will direct Forgotten Harvest’s development and communications activities.

Vines is very familiar with the organization, having served on the Board of Directors for the past four years. He has resigned from the Board of Directors upon taking the new position.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to have someone of the caliber of Jason Vines lead Forgotten Harvest in the vital functions of fundraising, marketing and public relations,” said Bruce Nyberg, Chairman of Forgotten Harvest’s Board of Directors.

Vines will report to Forgotten Harvest Executive Director Susan Ellis Goodell, who joined the organization eight years ago.

“Since joining the Board in 2005, Jason has helped in three key areas: fundraising, awareness and, importantly, securing refrigerated trucks so that we can safely and efficiently rescue and then distribute literally millions of meals to hungry people,” said Goodell. “Jason’s energy, creativity and passion will be tremendous assets to the organization.”

Nyberg added, “These are challenging times from both a fundraising and community need perspective. I’m confident that Jason’s abilities and contributions will help further our mission to reduce hunger and waste throughout metro Detroit”

“Forgotten Harvest serves as a national model for food rescue operations,” said Vines. “Ninety-four cents out of every dollar donated, by individuals, corporations and foundations, go directly to nourish hungry people in Metro Detroit. Considering the economic strain on this region, those numbers speak for themselves.”

Vines is the former Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Compuware Corporation.  Prior to that, Vines served as the Vice President of Communications for Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Company and Nissan North America.

He and his wife Betsy have three children and reside in Franklin, Michigan. Vines is a director on several charitable boards including Judson Center, CATCH, The Automotive Hall of Fame and The Iacocca Foundation. He holds an M.A.degree from Michigan State University (which recently secured the men’s basketball Big Ten Conference Championship).

About Forgotten Harvest
Forgotten Harvest was formed in 1990 to fight two problems: hunger and waste. Forgotten Harvest currently rescues 9.5 million pounds of food per year by collecting surplus prepared and perishable food from a variety of sources, including grocery stores, fruit and vegetable markets, restaurants, caterers, dairies, farmers, wholesale food distributors, and other Health Department-approved sources.  This donated food, which would otherwise go to waste, is delivered absolutely free of charge to 150 emergency food providers in the metro Detroit area. The individuals and families served are as diverse as the community’s residents – young and old, from all races and faiths. The common bond uniting them with each other and with Forgotten Harvest is hunger.