Local food pantries make a difference this holiday season with the help from communities they serve
As we’re heading into the last weekend until December, officially kicking off the “Holiday Season,” Tri-City Area community members who are able should pick up some extra “holiday foods” that are almost always on sale during this time. They should donate those goods to this area’s local food banks. During this time, food banks are often experiencing more demand than usual. Many food banks put together special holiday meal packages for those in need to pick up so they’re able to have a special holiday meal.
Many people don’t have the time during the busy holiday season to volunteer at a food pantry. But while someone may not be able to cook or serve hot meals at a shelter (thank you dearly if you are!), many can help out simply by doing what they already do, grocery shopping. Imagine how many families could be blessed with a delicious Thanksgiving dinner if everyone chipped in and bought a few items each time they went to the store.
When people can’t buy the food they need, that’s known as food insecurity. For many individuals and families in the Tri-City Area, the local food banks offer a crucial lifeline, offering free food, clothing, and soon some self-sufficiency classes.
Roughly 14-percent of Berrien County residents are food insecure in they lack consistent access to enough food for every person in their household to live a healthy life. This demand is typical as of late, said Ken Estelle, president and CEO of Feeding America West Michigan, as inflation raises food prices and the government has cut COVID-19 benefits.
According to Feeding America West Michigan’s interactive map where people can explore the need for food assistance within the organization’s 40-county service area, nearly 20% of Berrien County’s children are rated as food insecure, making this a pressing need not only during the holidays but year-round.
Assistance can be found in Coloma, Hartford and Watervliet at the following locations.
Living Water Food Pantry
The Living Water Food Pantry at the Watervliet Free Methodist Church, 7734 Paw Paw Ave. operates on Mondays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the lower level of the church.
Brian Hall is the senior pastor of the church, but he credits the success of the food pantry to all volunteer staff members, Irene Bush, Barb O’Brien, Linda Carlson, Mary Wittig, and Lonna VanderLinden the director. Lonna also credits the many organizations that donate food and the occasional helpers, like students from the W-A-Y Watervliet alternative education program at the Watervliet High School who were on hand to pass out over 100 turkey dinners for this Thanksgiving holiday.
The turkeys, along with loaves of bread, were purchased with grant money that the church received from Walmart of South Bend through the store’s Local Community Grants Program. The program offers grants in ranges of $500 to $5,000 in one of eight different categories; church programs fall under the Hunger Relief and Healthy Eating category.
Other ways the food pantry sustains itself is through rounding up programs that have been hosted at the local Harding’s Market and Wesco convenience stores. Their customers can choose to round up from their total purchase to the nearest dollar, and that round-up change will then be given in a check form to the church so that they can purchase needed items for the food pantry.
Living Water Food Pantry also counts on local food drives from the area schools to fill their shelves. Both Grace Christian School and Watervliet North Elementary School helped the pantry stock up for the winter. However, with so many needs it doesn’t last long.
The Living Water Food Pantry is always in need of items, like breads, lunch meats, hotdogs, peanut butter, and fruit cups if someone is looking for things to fill the gaps.
HOPE Resources
HOPE Resources was formed as a Michigan 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in 2017 by combining both the North Berrien Food Pantry (a mission of the Coloma United Methodist Church) and the Plymouth Congregational Church’s food pantry in Watervliet.
This organization feels that their food pantry is critical when a family is in crisis. The pantry supplies individuals with nutritious choices during times of food insecurity. They strive to keep the pantry well stocked with many items; however available items can vary as funds allow but items can include a large variety of food items, diapers, formula, baby food, and personal care items.
HOPE Resources operates with the help of donations, grants, and of course over three dozen community-based volunteers. They also work collaboratively with other public service agencies like Feeding America, six local churches, and local farms. Also, the Coloma postal carriers conduct a drive that helps put supplies on the pantry’s shelves.
This Coloma organization also provides clothing for individuals and families based on need. With the help from the Midway Baptist Church that provided initial clothing and racks from their building to start the Clothing Depot, the clothing is sorted and washed by volunteers for clients to shop.
The Clothing Depot has most sizes infant through adult. Donations are by appointment only. Follow them on Facebook to get updates or email them at: clothingdepothoperesources@gmail.com.
Self-sufficiency is possible with training and education. Classes are under development at HOPE Resources in the areas of Financial Navigation, Sewing, Personal Care, Job Interview Preparation, and Meal Planning.
HOPE Resources serves residents of Watervliet, Coloma, and Riverside-Hagar District #6 school areas. Approximately one-third of the people served last month were children. They strongly encourage appointments so they may give each family the needed attention to their specific circumstances.
HOPE is located at 262 North Paw Paw Street in downtown Coloma. Their hours are: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:00 to 11:45 a.m.
Anyone wanting to know more can contact them at 269-202-6050 or email: hoperesourcesberrien@gmail.com.
Cooperating Ministries Food Pantry
The Cooperating Ministries Food Pantry is made up of several churches in the area that work together to provide food for those in need. It is housed at Hartford United Methodist Church. They distribute food every Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m.
This cooperative ministry can provide the food at their pantry because they get generous donations from many people in the town, through grants from the Pokagon Fund, and the Four Winds Casino also helps out at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
On the first Thursday of the month, the Feeding American food truck is on hand to supply those in need. They give out food weekly to anyone in need. In the past few months, they have been helping over 215 families that received food boxes. This is becoming more the normal number as of late, said sources from the church.
The food pantry is always looking for cereal, pasta, canned vegetables like corn, peas, and green beans, tomato products like paste, sauce, or diced, shelf-stable milk, and canned meats like tuna and chicken.
Susie McGowan has been the coordinator for the last six years and she welcomes donations between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the church located at 425 East Main Street, in Hartford.
Logically, the more holiday foods a food bank has, the more meal packages they can create to distribute throughout their local community, people who may even be your neighbor. So, what “holiday foods” are food banks looking to hand out for Christmas? The Tri-City Record has an incredibly comprehensive list and it includes staples like instant mashed potatoes, boxed stuffing mix, canned yams, jar gravy/gravy mix, cranberry sauce, pie crust mix, canned pie filling, various seasonings, and even paper plates and plastic utensils. Can you help your neighbor in need?
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