With a pause in SNAP benefits set to begin on Saturday, New Heights CCDA is launching its annual fundraiser for its Community Food Network.
New Heights Director Chris Britton tells us the Community Food Network provides food assistance to households in the Benton Heights area while also connecting them with wraparound services.
“We don’t want to just put a Band-Aid on the problem,” Britton said. “We want to help these families move from the place of scarcity, we want to help them stabilize, and we want to help them move on to success.”
For example, New Heights partners with Michigan Works to help member households seek employment and job training.
The annual fundraiser for the Community Food Network usually starts in November, but Britton says it’s been moved up due to the SNAP situation. He says it just highlights the need for food aid out there.
“The urgency was always there, but this really changes things. One, as I thought about it, I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, so many of our households that are part of Community Food Network and will be a part of Community Food Network for their two-year membership.’ They’re greatly affected by this.”
The Community Food Network is currently helping 90 households. If the $10,000 goal is reached, a matching grant from the Frederick S. Upton Foundation will be unlocked, meaning $20,000 raised. The would enable New Heights to add another 20 households to the network.
