Food Banks, Give And Get Assistance

We’ve compiled a list of food pantry’s to help people who could use some assistance.  Many of these programs are available nationally.  The list even has resources to help your resources if you are in a position to do so.

Food Pantry’s on a National Level can be found here:

Findafoodpantry.org

Pantry Net is able to get readers local assistance search by ZIP code to get the most accurate list.

Here is a helpful list of the MI Food Bank list:

  • Contact the MI State of Michigan’s Food Assistance Program hotline at 1-800-481-4989
  • Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank – Here you can find the locations of local West Michigan food banks.
  • Food Bank of Eastern Michigan – List of agency’s that will help you on a county level.
  • Food Bank of Central Michigan
  • Food Gatherers Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti
  • Gleaners Community Food Bank -For more than 32 years, Gleaners Community Food Bank has been “nourishing communities by feeding hungry people.” Last year, Gleaners distributed more than 30 million pounds of emergency food to over 430 partner soup kitchens, shelters and pantries in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Livingston and Monroe counties.
  • Food Aid – The Michigan Grocers Association (MGA) has been a long-standing partner with the Food Bank Council of Michigan. Each year, during the month of July, MGA promotes Food Aid. The funds from this campaign go towards purchasing hard-to-obtain food items.
  • Michigan Agricultural Surplus System (MASS) – An innovative partnership between Michigan food banks, the agricultural community and food processors.  This partnership, funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture since 1990, works to procure unmarketable yet nutritious agricultural surplus for Michigan food banks.  Food from Michigan fields may be turned into shelf stable products or washed and packaged for fresh consumption.
  • America’s Second Harvest – This is the direct link to search for your nearest food bank, which are a national list.  America’s Second Harvest is the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. Through a network of over 200 food banks and food-rescue programs, emergency food assistance is provided to more than 23 million hungry Americans each year, eight million of whom are children.

Help people in need

If you find yourself in a situation where you can help others and would like to know how to check out the links below.

  • Michigan Harvest Gathering – This is not a program that will directly give food to people in need, this is actually a fundraiser program and will get food and supplies to food banks.  The funds from this event are used for transportation of food products to food banks and purchases of hard-to-obtain food items.
  • Gleeaners Community Food Bank – Volunteer or Donate can be found on the website.
  • Start a Mobile Pantry – Interested readers can learn how to get involved in distributing food to people in need (3-19-19) since discontinued service by the American Red Cross.

If any readers know of more food banks or local churches that have policies of helping the truly needy and want to get the word out feel free to contact us and we’ll update this list, or feel free to leave a comment.