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Record Year for Local Hunger Relief

Hunger relief in West Michigan scored unprecedented gains in 2016, with Feeding America West Michigan distributing more food to needy families and individuals than ever in its history. In fact, the non-profit hunger relief agency which has a major branch warehouse in Benton Harbor, provided just under 29-million pounds of food and household goods to its network of food pantries, soup kitchens and child hunger agencies and partner food banks in 2016. That's a 6.1-percent increase over 2015.

More than 2.5 million of those pounds were provided to partner agencies in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties. That’s the equivalent of 2 million meals provided in the local marketplace.

Ken Estelle is CEO of Feeding America West Michigan. He says, “This is now the fourth year in a row that we’ve been able to provide a record amount of food to people in need.” He adds, “I’m incredibly proud of the work our team has done to make this happen. Not only our staff, but also our donors, volunteers and agency partners.”

Feeding America West Michigan provides food to more than 120 hunger-relief agencies in Southwest Michigan.

Healthy food remains a priority. In that respect, 2016 was also a milestone year: For the second year in a row, fruits and vegetables accounted for 40-percent of the product the organization distributed. In that regard Estelle says, “As a food bank, we have a responsibility to the families we serve to make sure they have access not just to calories but to food that’s truly nourishing and sustaining.”

Much of Feeding America West Michigan’s fresh produce, dairy products and other healthy, perishable foods are distributed directly to clients through its Mobile Food Pantry program. Boosted by grant funding from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, the Mobile Pantry program grew by 10.2-percent in 2016, providing a total of 11.8 million pounds of food at 1,743 distributions.

With the grant period coming to a close, Feeding America West Michigan is seeking new donors to ensure that those Mobile Pantry distributions continue in 2017. Estelle says, “We invite anyone, whether they’re an individual, a business owner or a church group, to consider volunteering at a Mobile Pantry.” He notes, “When you see the impact your time and your gifts can have on local families, it’s really incredible.”

Mobile Pantries continue to receive strong support in Southwest Michigan from the Berrien Community Foundation, the Frederick S. Upton Foundation, the Pokagon Fund, WalMart and the United Way of Southwest Michigan.

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