Berrien Community Foundation has received a $140,000 Collaborative Capacity Building Grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to move forward a community-driven effort to improve health through better access to nutritious food across Berrien County and Southwest Michigan.
This funding will support the planning and development of a community nutrition hub designed to better connect food, health and local systems so that more residents can reliably access the kinds of foods that support their well-being.
“This grant is about more than asking questions,” said Lisa Cripps-Downey, president of Berrien Community Foundation. “We have an opportunity to build something lasting, something that makes it easier for people to access healthy food in ways that truly support their health.”
Turning Food Access Into a Health Solution
Across Southwest Michigan, many families are struggling with food access and suffering from chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. At the same time, healthcare providers are increasingly recognizing that food plays a powerful role in preventing and managing these conditions.
The community nutrition hub is designed to bring these pieces together, connecting healthcare providers, food organizations and local farms into a coordinated system that makes healthy food easier to access and use in everyday life; treating healthy food as medicine.
Essential to this work is Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan, serving as the anchor agency for the community nutrition hub and building on its longstanding leadership in nutrition services and community-based care.
“Every day we see how much the right food matters,” said Linda Tinsley, executive director of Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan. “This work allows us to build something more connected and sustainable, so that food doesn’t just meet an immediate need, but truly supports health and recovery.”
What This Work Will Do
Over the next phase, partners will work together to design a practical, real-world model for how the community nutrition hub can operate and serve the region.
This includes:
- Creating reliable ways to prepare and distribute meals that support specific health needs.
- Building stronger connections between healthcare providers and community food programs.
- More access to hands-on nutrition education and cooking skills.
- Improving the quality and consistency of food available across partner agencies who are addressing food issues.
- Identifying how this work can be sustained and grown over time.
The result will be a clear plan to move from concept to action, positioning the region for future investment and implementation.
From Farm to Healthcare
A defining feature of this initiative is the development of a farm-to-healthcare pipeline, a model that is especially meaningful in Southwest Michigan, where a strong agricultural community is a natural fit to help address real challenges in food access and health.
This approach creates a path that leads from local farms to the community members whose health can be improved by the addition of healthier food options. Ensuring that fresh, locally sourced ingredients are reaching the people who need them most.
By building this pipeline, the region has an opportunity to:
- Create new and expanded revenue streams for local farmers.
- Strengthen the local food economy.
- Provide fresher, higher-quality food for residents.
- Support individuals managing chronic conditions through food-based prescriptions that may be covered by health insurance.
“We are at a turning point in how we think about health,” said Dr. Sarah Gendernalik, principal of SBG Health Strategies and strategic coordinator of the Southwest Michigan Food is Health Collaborative. “This work positions Southwest Michigan to lead by building a system where local agriculture is the cornerstone of community wellness and where food is fully integrated into both everyday life and healthcare. It’s a model that delivers better outcomes, stronger farms and a healthier future for everyone.”
Built Through Community Partnership
The initiative is being developed in a partnership between Berrien Community Foundation, Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan, SBG Health Strategies and a broad network of organizations through the Southwest Michigan Food is Health Collaborative. Planning is supported by InCommon Group, a national leader in community-based food system design.
