ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Food Gatherers is urging community members to support its mission after a new report found a 93% increase in households making use of local programs with food pantries.
Data shows 5,374 households used services from 140 of Food Gatherers’ local partners in July 2023, whereas only 2,778 needed assistance in July 2021, officials said.
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Officials said the increase means that high-capacity food pantries are helping more families now than during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, federally-funded programs helped to combat food insecurity but as funding has decreased, and living costs have increased, more and more Washtenaw County residents are seeking help.
“The important difference is that federal food resources to food banks have declined since the height of the pandemic, so we are now purchasing much more food to meet the need,” said Food Gatherers president and CEO Eileen Spring in a release. “It’s a necessary emergency response but it is not sustainable. We need policy and philanthropy to align to meet this crisis.”
The decrease in extra SNAP benefits in March 2023 added fuel to the fire and continued to cause the number of households going to food banks to rise.
Food Gatherers said a 20% decrease in federal resources in 2023 led to 500,000 fewer pounds of food being distributed into the community. The nonprofit also saw a 40% increase in the amount of food it needed to purchase in 2023 compared to 2022, and a 65% in spending on food due to inflation.
It projects that it will need to purchase $4.23 million worth of food in 2024, which is at least $1 million more than what it will spend in the 2023 fiscal year.
Officials said that its monthly distribution totals are now at the same levels as when they supported families during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ann Arbor-based food rescue asking for help to feed all residents who use its services. It is encouraging an increase in funding to the Emergency Food Assistance Program which helps Michigan growers and funds food banks so they can meet the needs of users.
“We appreciate Senator Stabenow’s leadership and efforts to strengthen nutrition programs in the Farm Bill and hope to see additional support for TEFAP,” said Food Gatherers Director of Community Food Programs Markell Miller. “If Congress does not increase funding in this Farm Bill, we will not have another opportunity to increase support for five years, when the next Farm Bill is up for debate again.”
Washtenaw County residents who want to support the nonprofit can make a donation to fill funding gaps, fight against food insecurity as an advocate or talk to others about Food Gatherers’ local partners.
Donations can be made online or by calling 734-761-2796.
Here’s a searchable map of all local food assistance partners in the county.