Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Shafer.
Hi Michael , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story is deeply personal, because it starts with need.
Growing up, I struggled with food insecurity. Especially in middle school and high school, there were seasons where I genuinely didn’t know where my next meal would come from. That kind of experience stays with you. Even when life improves, you don’t forget what it feels like to be hungry, to worry, and to live with uncertainty.
As I became an adult, that memory stuck with me—and it shaped the direction of my life. I found myself naturally drawn toward helping others who were in the same situation I once lived through.
One of the first ways my family and I began stepping into that mission was through our small – family farm. We started donating a portion of the meat we raised to families who were struggling, and we also partnered with local food pantries in the communities around us. That’s when everything became even more real—because we weren’t just hearing about hunger, we were seeing it directly in the towns and rural areas where we live.
Over time, my professional background also helped shape the path. I spent years working in retail and sales, which taught me leadership, communication, systems, and how to build relationships. On top of that, I served as an executive pastor at my church, which strengthened my passion for community ministry and caring for people holistically—not just meeting physical needs, but also offering encouragement, dignity, and hope.
When the opportunity opened for me to serve as the Director of our local food pantry at Family Impact Centers, it felt like a natural next step. In many ways, it felt like everything I had walked through—both personally and professionally—had been preparing me for this exact kind of role.
Today, I get to lead a mission that is incredibly close to my heart: feeding families, serving our community with compassion, and making sure that people who are facing hardship know they are not alone.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Honestly, in many ways it has been a smooth road, and I’m grateful to be able to say that.
A big reason is the incredible support system around me. I have exceptional support from my family, and I’m surrounded by a community that genuinely cares about helping others. That kind of foundation makes a huge difference when you’re leading a mission-driven organization.
I also stepped into a role that was built on something solid. I took over from our former director, who built this organization from the ground up with love, compassion, and care that was second to none. Because of that, I didn’t walk into something broken — I walked into something healthy, trusted, and deeply rooted in the community.
And probably most importantly, we have an extraordinary volunteer team — over 60 volunteers who truly make it their life’s passion to serve. Their consistency, kindness, and heart for people is what makes our work possible.
So while every organization has challenges and growing pains, I’ve been blessed to step into leadership with strong momentum and an amazing team. I’m grateful to build on that legacy, strengthen systems where needed, and help guide our next season of growth while keeping the heart of the mission exactly the same: serving families with dignity, compassion, and hope.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At the core, I lead Family Impact Centers, a community food pantry and ministry based in Fowlerville. My role is a mix of hands-on operational leadership and long-term vision — making sure families in our area have reliable access to food, while also making sure our organization stays healthy, organized, and growing in a sustainable way.
On a practical level, that means overseeing food distribution, volunteer leadership, donor and community partnerships, and the day-to-day systems that allow us to serve families with excellence. We serve a wide range of people — from single parents working full-time to seniors on fixed incomes to families navigating sudden job loss. Hunger doesn’t always “look” the way people assume it does, and we work hard to create a place where people feel safe and respected while receiving help.
What we’re known for is serving with dignity, compassion, and consistency. We don’t treat people like a number or a burden — we treat people like family. Faith is also a meaningful part of who we are. One thing that sets us apart is that we make prayer a central part of our ministry, and we offer prayer for families as they come through. Many guests tell us it’s not just the food — it’s the encouragement, the kindness, and being treated like a human being — that changes their day.
At the same time, we’re not afraid to grow, adapt, and improve. One of the things that sets us apart is that we are one of the most innovative food pantries in our state. We continually research trends, systems, and technology that will keep us prepared and effective as the needs of our communities change.
But for us, innovation isn’t about being trendy — it’s about being more efficient so we can ultimately serve more people. When you improve systems, streamline workflows, and build stronger partnerships, you protect volunteer time, reduce waste, and increase capacity. In other words, innovation allows us to stretch resources further and help more families with excellence.
I’m especially proud of how much our organization has grown while still keeping our heart. Over the past year, demand has increased more than ever, and we’ve had to expand quickly to keep up. We went from being open just a couple days each week to serving families across five days with expanded hours, and we’ve improved systems to better serve guests while also protecting volunteer time and preventing waste. In 2025 alone, we served 547 unique families — and that number represents real people, real stories, and real households who needed help.
What also sets us apart is our commitment to serving rural communities. We’re not located in a major city — many families travel from smaller surrounding towns, and transportation is often a barrier. We think intentionally about how to reach families who are struggling quietly and may not have easy access to resources.
Personally, what I specialize in is building strong teams, strengthening operations, and creating partnerships that increase impact. My mindset is always: How can we do this better, with more excellence, and with more heart?…. All to serve more people.
I’m most proud that people who come to us don’t just leave with food — they leave with hope. And I’m proud of the volunteers and the community that makes all of this possible. This work is never about one person — it’s about a mission and about people coming together to love their neighbors.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The quality that I believe is most important to my success is the ability to truly see people.
I don’t look at someone just on the surface. I try to see what’s underneath — the struggle they may be carrying, the pressure they may be living under, and the reality that any one of us could have gone through what they’re going through, could be in it right now, or could face it in the future.
To me, it doesn’t matter what someone has been through or what their story looks like — every person deserves the same love, dignity, and respect as the next. That mindset shapes how I lead, how I build systems, and how we serve families at our pantry.
At the same time, I have a lot of energy and passion for leadership. I genuinely believe in giving our very best to the community we’ve been called to serve. I want our organization to operate with excellence, to keep improving, and to always meet people with compassion — because behind every food order is a human being, a family, and a story that matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Familyimpactcenters.com
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/familyimpactcenters
- LinkedIn: https://Linkedin.com/in/MichaelDShafer
- Youtube: @FowlervillePantry
