COMSTOCK PARK, Mich., March 19, 2020 — Feeding America West Michigan is adding Mobile Pantries to its existing schedule in an effort to supply food for neighbors experiencing unemployment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each food distribution will provide more than 6,000 meals worth of food to attendees at no cost to them.
Location: Ada Bible Church (1640 East Paris Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546)
First date: Thursday, March 26
Ongoing dates: Every other Thursday
Time: 5 p.m.
Location: Grandville Church of Christ (3725 44th St SW, Grandville, MI 49418)
First date: Friday, March 27
Ongoing dates: Every other Friday
Time: 5 p.m.
Anyone affected by the temporary closure of bars, restaurants and other non-essential public gathering places is welcome and encouraged to attend. The Mobile Pantries will continue until these neighbors are able to go back to work.
The food distributions will follow a drive-through model to limit the amount of volunteer-recipient interaction. Volunteers will load food into the attendees’ cars with gloved hands to ensure there is no physical contact and 6 feet of space between individuals is achieved. Attendees should place empty boxes, plastic tubs or laundry baskets in their trunk for approximately 50 pounds of food to be loaded into.
Feeding America West Michigan typically provides more than 100 Mobile Food Pantries each month throughout its 40-county service area. These “bonus” Mobile Pantries are meant to support employees of temporarily closed businesses who may need to dip into savings, pinch pennies or apply for unemployment benefits that could take time to kick in.
All Mobile Pantries are open to the public and anyone in need can attend. A list of other distribution dates and locations is available at FeedWM.org/mobile-pantry-schedule/.
“We want to ensure those affected by these closures have the food they need to feed their families,” said the food bank’s President and CEO Kenneth Estelle. “We’re doing everything we can to make life easier for our neighbors during this difficult time.”
About Feeding America West Michigan
Serving local families in need since 1981, Feeding America West Michigan reclaims safe surplus food from farmers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers. That food is distributed through a network of more than 800 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and other hunger-relief agencies in 40 of Michigan’s 83 counties from the Indiana border through the Upper Peninsula. For more information, visit FeedWM.org or call 616-784-3250.
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