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 you are picking up for. Most Mobile Pantry sites have a limit on how many households you can pick up for 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:
- Mattawan, 6/17 at Noon, Antwerp Twp Hall, 24821 Front Ave
- Niles, 6/18 at 3pm, Hope Community Church, 2390 Lake St
- Stevensville, 6/19 at 4pm, United Methodist Church, 5506 Ridge Rd
- Sawyer, 6/20 at 3:30pm, Harbert Community Church, 6444 Harbert Rd
- Benton Harbor, 6/21 at Noon, Second Baptist Church, 600 Donald Adkins Dr
- Galien, 6/24 at 4pm, American Legion, 402 N Main St
- Cassopolis, 6/25 at 4pm, Council on Aging, 60525 Decatur Rd
- Coloma, 6/26 at 4pm, Walk-up Service, North Berrien Fire Dept, 170 Washington St
- St. Joseph, 6/27 at 12:30pm, Trinity Lutheran Church Ministry Center, 619 Main St
- Niles, 6/28 at 3pm, First Baptist Church, 1446 E Main St
- Bloomingdale, 7/1 at Noon, Senior Services of Van Buren Co, 208 E Pine St
- Sawyer, 7/2 at 3:30pm, Harbert Community Church, 6444 Harbert Rd
- Bridgman, 7/3 at 4:30pm, Woodland Shores Baptist Church, 3555 Shawnee Rd
- Cassopolis, 7/5 at Noon, Pleasant View Church of Christ, 60550 Crooked Creek Rd
- Berrien Springs, 7/8 at Noon, Neighbor to Neighbor, 9147 Old US 31
- Benton Harbor, 7/8 at 4pm, The Bridge Academy at Kinexus, 499 W Main St
- Edwardsburg, 7/9 at 3pm, Hope United Methodist Church, 69941 Elkhart Rd
- Paw Paw, 7/10 at Noon; Seventh Day Adventist Church, 60409 S M-40
For more information about Feeding America West Michigan’s programs, you can go to www.feedwm.org or call the Benton Harbor site at 269-926-2646.
Another fresh food source during the summer are Farmer’s Markets, many of which allow for people to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. When you use your Bridge Card, Double Up matches your 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 St
- Buchanan, Saturdays through October, 8am-1pm, 122 Days Avenue
- Cassopolis, Saturdays through November, 10am-1pm, 105 N. Broadway St
- Dowagiac, Saturdays and Wednesdays, through Oct., 9am-2pm, 201 E Division St
- Lawrence, Saturdays, July through Sept., 9am – 1pm, 230 E. Saint Joseph St.
- South Haven, Saturdays, through Oct. 12th, and Wednesdays through Aug. 31, 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.