Copyright M Live Michigan
MID-MICHIGAN - With a pause on food assistance programs looming, communities across mid-Michigan are mobilizing to ensure families don’t go hungry. Food pantries, soup kitchens, schools and nonprofits are expanding services and coordinating efforts to meet rising demand. In Genesee County, Sheriff Chris Swanson said about 82,000 people rely on SNAP benefits and urged residents to use the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan’s “Find Food” listing to locate pantries and distribution sites. “This is a need for all of us. It’s not just in one jurisdiction,” Swanson said. “We are not declaring an emergency, but we are preparing for a crisis in people’s homes.” Genesee County Commissioner Charles Winfrey, D-Flint, added that families, children, seniors, and veterans depend on food assistance, calling the county “one of the most highly impacted areas in the entire state of Michigan.” “When these benefits are threatened, the stability of our entire community is threatened,” Winfrey said. Saginaw County has more than 39,000 residents with SNAP benefits, according to U.S. Census Bureau via FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data). And in Bay County, more than 16,000 residents rely on SNAP and over 2,000 families rely on the WIC (Women, infants and Children) program for fresh food and infant formula. A coalition of government, business and nonprofit partners has formed there to coordinate food aid and long-term solutions, including the creation of a Food Insecurity Emergency Fund and a new Bay County Food Council to organize collection and distribution. More information about this can be found here. In Saginaw, a list of resources can be found here. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan has a calendar of daily food distributions available in the mid-Michigan and Thumb region here. And a food pantry locator here. Here is a list of mid-Michigan organizations giving away free meals in the coming weeks: Genesee County Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Burton Food Pantry 1227 E. Bristol Road 810-743-8530 Tuesday/Wednesday: 1-3pm, Thursday: 10 a.m.-noon, 5-7p.m. The Safety Net Store in Clio Food Pantry/Necessities 611 S. Mill St. 810-701-6351 2nd and 4th Thurs of the month, 3-5 p.m. Outreach East in Davison Food Pantry/Necessities 425 N. Genesee Road 810-653-7711 Monday/Wednesday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday/Thursday: Noon-5 p.m. Fenton Center of Hope in Fenton Food Pantry/Baby Closet 10401 Fenton Road 810-620-8167 Call to make an appointment Crossover Outreach in Flint Food/Personals/Clothes/Cleaning Products 414 W. Court St. 810-234-2479 Referral needed, call for more information Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. St. Luke N.E.W. Life Center in Flint Food Pantry/Clothing 3115 Lawndale Ave. 810-239-8710 Fri: 10 a.m. until the food is gone Franklin Avenue Mission in Flint Necessities Closet 2210 N. Franklin Ave. 810-285-9598 Contact for hours Center for Hope in Flint Community Closet 812 Root St. 810-265-7025 Monday-Friday: 9:30 a.m.-Noon First United Church in Flint Food Pantry/Clothing Closet 1116 W. Hill Road 810-232-2674 1st and 3rd Wednesdays: 10 a.m.-Noon Salvation Army Beecher Corp. in Flint Food Pantry/Diaper Distribution 1475 W. Coldwater Road 810-789-4003 Food: Tuesday 10 a.m.-Noon Diapers: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 2-4 p.m., Tuesdays: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Flushing Christian Outreach Center Food Pantry/Clothes Closet 5409 W. Pierson Road 810-487-2223 Call to make an appointment Saint Joseph Food Pantry in Gaines Food Pantry 12145 Ray Road 989-271-8434 Call to make an appointment Genesee United Methodist Church Food Pantry in Genesee 7190 N. Genesee Road 810-640-2280 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month: Noon-1 p.m. Lakeview Community Church in Goodrich Food Pantry/Clothes Closet 10023 S. State Road 810-636-7541 Food Pantry: Sunday: 2-4 p.m. Clothes Closet: Thursday: 6-8 p.m. FISH of Grand Blanc Food Pantry/Clothes Closet 810-695-1880 Call to make an appointment Church of the Holy Family in Grand Blanc Food Pantry/Necessities 11804 S. Saginaw St. 810-694-4891 Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. FISH Community Food Pantry in Linden Food Pantry 119 W. Broad St. 810-735-5755 Call to make an appointment: Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Neighborhood Pop-Up Clothing Shop in Montrose Clothes Distribution 300 E. State St. 810-853-9187 Call for more information Fountain of Grace Assembly of God in Mt. Morris Food Pantry 2382 E. Mt. Morris Road 810-686-0509 Held once a month. Call for date. Church of the Nazarene in Otisville Food Pantry 7524 E. Mt Morris Road 810-653-6218 Call to make an appointment: Tuesday/Thursday: 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. Swartz Creek Community Food Basket Food Pantry/Necessities 7400 Miller Rd. 810-653-4555 Call to make an appointment: Tuesday: 3-5 p.m., Friday: 10 a.m.-Noon Swartz Creek Church of Christ Food Pantry 4410 S. Seymour Road 810-635-4544 Last Saturday of the month: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., November and December: 3rd Saturday of the month from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saginaw County Ninth Street Community Church in Saginaw County Food Distribution/Produce 1118 N 9th St. 989-752-7366 Friday, October 31: 10 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Caring Closet in Saginaw County Food Pantry 6045 Mackinaw Rd. Saturday, November 1: 10 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Old Town Christian Outreach in Saginaw County Food and Clothing Giveaway/Soup Kitchen 600 Gratiot Ave. 989-249-8696 Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, 22, 29: 10 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Freeland Lions Club in Freeland Food Distribution 710 Powley Dr., Freeland 989-600-8911 Saturday, November 15: 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Faith Lutheran Church in Bridgeport Food Distribution 4241 Williamson Rd., Bridgeport 989-799-0162 Saturday, November 15: 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Spaulding Hall in Saginaw Food Distribution 5825 Cole Rd., Saginaw 989-777-0950 Saturday, November 22: 9 a.m.–10:30 a.m. The Valley Church of Saginaw Love Your Neighbor Personal Pantry Drive-Thru Church Parking Lot 3770 N Center Rd, Saginaw 989-793-0011 1st Wednesday of each month: 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Requirements: Proof of state assistance + photo ID East Side Soup Kitchen in Saginaw Soup Kitchen/Drive-Thru 940 E. Genesee Ave, Saginaw 989-755-3663 Monday–Friday: 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Monthly food distribution: Nov. 11, 9:00 a.m. Saginaw YMCA Youth Meal Program 1915 Fordney St., Saginaw 989-753-7721 Monday–Friday: 4:30 p.m.–6 p.m., Saturday: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Bay County Safe Harbor Community Center in Bay County Mass Giveaway/Food Distribution 706 Joseph St., Bay City 989-894-1189 Tuesdays, Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25: 9:45 a.m.–11:45 a.m. Bay City Academy Food Distribution 301 N Farragut Rd., Bay City 989-414-8254 Thursday, Nov. 6: 3 p.m.–5 p.m. The Salvation Army of Bay City Baby Pantry / Emergency Food Pantry 401 10th St., Bay City 989-893-3041 Baby Pantry (formula): Mon–Fri, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., 1 p.m.–3 p.m. Emergency Food Pantry & Baby Pantry (diapers): Wed–Fri, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., 1–3 p.m. Requirements: Bay County photo ID Bay City YMCA Youth Meal Program (School Year) – Dinner & Snack for ages 18 and under 225 Washington Ave, Bay City, MI 48708 989-895-8596 Dinner: Monday–Friday, 3:30–4:30 PM Snack: Monday–Friday, 5:30–6:30 PM 300 W Lafayette Ave, Bay City, MI 48706 Dinner: Monday–Friday, 3:00–4:00 PM Snack: Monday–Friday, 5:00–6:00 PM 612 W Borton Rd, Essexville, MI 48732
