Bedridden, Jonathon Lindal, Still has Desire to Feed the Hungry in Flint, Michigan

Suffering from pancreatic cancer, Jonathon Lindal once was a burly man. Now hooked up to an IV and much thinner than he was, he's not allowing his disability to stop what he loves the most: The fight against hunger.

For roughly twenty years now, he's been dedicated to the Food Bank of Michigan. He's given the organization his business skills that's helped the growth of the bank. Lindal has turned a small business into a large organization that no longer stocks old warehouses full of food, but allows about 500 agencies to buy food and other goods at a cheaper price.

"The need for food has greatly increased over the past decade as the economy has slowly went down," he says.

Though struck by illness, it has not maimed his desire and drive to continue supplying food banks and other food drive businesses with essential practices. He may be battling the cancer, but it doesn't stop him from attending meetings or calling in when he isn't healthy enough to attend in person. Illness hasn't stopped him from partaking in the many local Flint organizations, including United Way - one of the nation's biggest sources for people in need. Even on his worst day, he says he's just a phone call away.

He continues to help in balancing budgets and making deals with various food banks throughout the Michigan region. He's dedicated to making sure Flint area families are not starving.

The desire to aid in his community began when he was attending college in Big Rapids. He saw worse conditions in comparison with the slummy areas of Flint (which ranks the third most dangerous city in the U.S.). It changed his perception of hunger and people who can't afford to buy a lot of food in order to keep a roof over their head.

"Hunger can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any given moment. Hunger was not a poverty I was exposed to," Jonathon says.

Planned to be completed by late February, the food bank will name a new storage warehouse after him in recognition of his hard work through the years to the community. It will now contain a cooler for storing more than 25 semi-trailers. Within the new addition will be more storage space for other goods.

Starting next week, the food bank will launch its annual holiday campaign with a goal to raise more than $600,000. The campaign also is an ad to the public for awareness about hunger and how to help stop it.

"It's designed to change the views of common people who think it won't happen to them. Even if it never does, giving and helping a family eat everyday foods that you love is one of the best gifts to give during a holiday season," he says.

"Some families are very thankful to just be able to have a dinner together that's not bread and pasta at Christmas."

However, in a suffering economy, he knows this drive is needed now more than ever and would rather put the food bank out of business because of the elimination of hunger. He knows it won't be met anytime in the near future.

"You'd love to see the poverty disappear, but it won't," he says. "The need is becoming greater, and that's when you know there are problems."