By Sara Duris
Region IV Area Agency on Aging (AAA) receives many inquiries about food availability. Below are some resources for those needing food and those seeking fresh fruit and vegetables this summer.
For emergency food assistance, regardless of age, call 2-1-1 to find food pantries near you. Feeding America West Michigan is another good resource for emergency food pantries and facilitates the Mobile Food Pantry which has distribution days throughout the year in various locations around Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties. Many Mobile Food Pantry sites will allow you to pick up food as a proxy (stand-in) for another household that cannot physically attend. You will need to be prepared to provide the name, address and household size of any other family for whom you are taking food. Most Mobile Pantry sites have a limit on how many households you can assist and should tell you that limit if you ask.
Following are some upcoming distribution days and locations, subject to change, so be sure to check with Feeding America West Michigan or the local site. Most of the sites are drive-through pick up, unless otherwise noted:
- Grand Junction, 6/2 at noon, First Congregational Church, 54128 CR 388
- Sawyer, 6/3 at 3:30pm, Harbert Community Church, 6444 Harbert Road
- Bridgman, 6/4 at 4:30pm, Woodland Shores Baptist Church, 3555 Shawnee Road.
- Hartford, 6/5 at 3pm, Hartford United Methodist Church, 425 E Main St.
- Cassopolis, 6/6 at Noon, Pleasant View Church of Christ, 60550 Crooked Creek Road
- Niles, 6/7 at noon, Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 601 Ferry St.
- Berrien Springs, 6/9 at noon, Neighbor to Neighbor, 9147 Old US 31
- Benton Harbor, 6/9 at 4pm, Michigan Works, 499 W Main St.
- Edwardsburg, 6/10 at 3pm, Hope United Methodist Church, 69941 Elkhart Road
- Paw Paw, 6/11 at noon; Seventh Day Adventist Church, 60409 S M-40
- Benton Harbor, 6/12 at noon, Second Baptist Church, 600 Donald Adkins Drive
- Dowagiac, 6/12 at 4pm, Holy Maternity of Mary Church, 210 N. Front St.
- Marcellus, 6/13 at noon, Community Food Pantry, 214 E Main St.
- Eau Claire, 6/13 at 4pm, Seventh Day Adventist Church, 6562 Naomi Road
- Mattawan, 6/16 at noon, Antwerp Twp Hall, 24821 Front Ave.
- Niles, 6/17 at 3pm, Hope Community Church, 2390 Lake St.
- Stevensville, 6/18 at 4pm, United Methodist Church, 5506 Ridge Road
- Sawyer, 6/20 at 3:30pm, Harbert Community Church, 6444 Harbert Road
- Baroda, 6/20 at 4pm, Baroda Bible Church, 9058 Third St.
For more information about Feeding America West Michigan’s programs, you can go to www.feedwm.org or call 616-784-3250.
Another fresh food source during the summer are Farmer’s Markets, many of which allow people to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. When you use your Bridge Card, Double Up matches your Michigan-grown fruit and vegetable purchases dollar for dollar, up to $20 a day. The Michigan Farm Market Association reports there are over 150 farm markets across Michigan that are certified to accept SNAP benefits such as the Bridge Card, Double Up, WIC and Senior Project FRESH vouchers.
Some of the larger, weekly markets are as follows:
- Benton Harbor, Wednesdays through Sept, from 10am-4pm, 127 Pipestone
- St. Joseph, Saturdays through Oct., 9am-2pm in the Bluff Park on Lake Blvd, between Broad and Pleasant Sts
- Buchanan, Saturdays through October, 8am-1pm, 122 Days Ave.
- New Buffalo, Fridays through September, 9-11am, 107 N. Whittaker St.
- Three Oaks, Fridays through October, 3-7pm, 3 South Elm St.
- Cassopolis, Saturdays through November, 10am-1pm, 105 N. Broadway St.
- Dowagiac, Saturdays and Wednesdays, through Oct., 9am-2pm, 201 E Division St.;
- Lawrence, Saturdays, June through Sept., 9am – 1pm, 230 E. Saint Joseph St.
- Paw Paw, Sundays through October, 9am-2pm, 118 S Gremps St.
- South Haven, Saturdays, through Oct. 8th, and Wednesdays through Aug. 31st, from 8am-2pm, at the Huron Street Pavilion.
To find other locations, you can go to www.mifma.org/find-a-farmers-market. It is always a good idea to check a market’s social media / website or call directly to confirm hours.
As always, Region IV AAA is also available to answer questions and connect individuals with resources through our Info Line for Aging and Disability at 800-654-2810.
Sara Duris is community information liaison of Region IV Area Agency on Aging in Southwest Michigan. Questions on age or independence services? Call the Info-Line for Aging & Disability at 800-654-2810 or visit areaagencyonaging.org. The Generations column appears each weekend in The Herald-Palladium.