Region IV Area Agency on Aging receives many inquiries about food availability. Below are some resources for those needing food.
For emergency food assistance, regardless of age, call 2-1-1 to find food pantries near you. You will be asked to put in your zip code and then just follow the prompts for food assistance. Some food pantries have been re-opening but some have changed to a curbside pick-up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeding America West Michigan is another good resource for emergency food and facilitates the Mobile Food Pantry truck which has distribution days throughout the month in various locations around Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties. Following are some upcoming distribution days, again subject to change, so be sure to check with Feeding America or the local site:
Benton Harbor, 6/22 at 2pm, Boys & Girls Club, 600 Nate Wells Ave; Dowagiac, 6/23 at 4pm, Victory Tabernacle, 608 Middle Crossing Rd; Coloma, 6/24 at 4pm, North Berrien Fire Dept, 170 Washington St.; St. Joseph, 6/25 at 4pm, Trinity Lutheran Church Ministry Center, 619 Main St; Niles, 6/26 at 4pm, First Baptist Church, 1446 E Main St.; Lawton, 6/29 at 11am, Lawton Evangelical Church, 425 S. Nursery St.; Paw Paw, 6/30 at 11am, Almena Township Hall, 27625 CR 375; Bridgman, 7/1 at 4pm, Woodland Shores Baptist Church, 3555 Shawnee Rd.; Benton Harbor, 7/2 at 2pm, The Bridge Academy, 499 W. Main St.; and Cassopolis, 7/6 at 11am, Pleasant View Church of Christ, 60550 Crooked Creek Rd.
For more information about Feeding America’s programs, you can go to www.feedwm.org or call the Benton Harbor site at 269-926-2646.
Another fresh food source as the summer begins are the Farmer’s Markets, many of which allow for people to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. 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 Food Bucks, WIC and Senior Project FRESH vouchers.
Three of the larger, weekly markets are as follows: Benton Harbor, on Wednesdays, 10am-4pm, at Dwight P. Mitchell City Center Park; South Haven, on Saturdays and Wednesdays, 8am-3pm, at the Huron Street Pavilion; and Three Rivers, on Thursdays, 2-6pm, at 138 North Michigan Avenue. To find other locations, you can go to www.mifma.org/findafarmersmarket. Please note that days and times could be subject to change in response to COVID-19. It is strongly advised that you check a market’s social media / website or call directly to confirm hours.
Finally, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) recently added an option for families who participate in the SNAP benefits to buy their food online from two national retailers. In an effort to make life easier on families who need to stay home during the pandemic, Michigan received approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service to allow SNAP recipients to redeem their food assistance benefits at Amazon.com and Walmart.com. People who receive food assistance will be able to go to the Amazon and Walmart websites and use their Electronic Benefits Transaction cards – known as Bridge Cards – for purchases of eligible food items just as one would use a credit or debit card for an online purchase.
Any delivery fee cannot be paid for using SNAP benefits. Curbside pickup is available at Walmart to avoid a delivery fee. Amazon currently is offering free delivery for orders over $35. Anyone who has cash assistance benefits loaded onto their Bridge Card will not be able to use the cash benefits for online purchases. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits also cannot be used for online purchases.
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.