Food insecurity is something that affects so many people across the state of Michigan.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, estimates for 2020 show food insecurity increased to about 1.9 million people in Michigan. To make matters worse, between August 2021 and August 2022, food prices rose 11.4%.
The struggles that so many face is how one local nonprofit came to partner with several companies to ensure no one goes hungry in our local communities.
Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry partnered with Gleaners, Forgotten Harvest, local food distributors and community food drives to stock shelves and serve those in need. The purpose is to ensure families have access to comprehensive and long-term food assistance, and to do it with dignity.
Fish & Loaves Community Food Pantry -- a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that’s located in an 8,000 square foot facility -- runs with the help of staffed volunteers that serve residents of Allen Park, Brownstown Township, Dearborn Heights, Romulus, Southgate, Taylor and Woodhaven.
Sue Sabo, director of communications and corporate giving at Masco Corporations, said they are proud to have many employees who volunteer for the critical cause.
The pantry also serves members of partner churches, emergency food visits and through agency partner programs.
How it works for those experiencing food insecurity
As a client-choice facility, Fish & Loaves opens its doors to families and individuals to shop six times per year in an attractive setting that’s organized exactly like a grocery store. A wide range of canned goods, shelf stable items, refrigerated and frozen foods, dairy products and seasonal produce are offered at no cost to clients.
Sabo said the client-choice model, which affirms the dignity of the families and individuals it serves, has a higher client satisfaction, as customers can choose their food, which means there is less waste in providing food to clients.
“Most importantly, the model allows for greater interaction of clients and volunteers,” Sabo said.
The model also reduces food waste and improves food distribution.
Since its grand opening in 2008, Fish & Loaves, which is the largest client-choice pantry in the state of Michigan, has become a model for other similar community initiatives throughout the region.
“With help from numerous partners, volunteers and our community, Fish & Loaves distributed 2.8 million pounds of food to families in need across the Downriver region in 2023,” said Stephanie McNees, executive director of Fish & Loaves. “Families in need can count on us to bridge the gap of food insecurity.”
As the cost of living remains high, families continue to struggle to make ends meet. In 2023, the nonprofit served more than 46,500 households.
Saturday Fresh Market
Fish & Loaves also has a Saturday Fresh Market Program, in partnership with Gleaners, which began in 2020. The goal of the program is to provide access to healthy and nutritious foods to those who need it most in our community.
Every Saturday, volunteers gather at Fish & Loaves to distribute bags of 25 pounds of produce and a gallon of milk in a drive- thru distribution. On average, 800 households are served weekly during the drive.
McNees said the nonprofit’s mission cannot be fulfilled without the generous contributions from donors and the community.
“Our work is only possible because of our great group of volunteers who generously donate their time and talents day in and day out to support our mission,” she said. “In 2023, we had over 2,100 volunteers who gave 24,000 hours of their time.”
McNees said Fish & Loaves depends on the generosity of its volunteers, partners and donors to continue providing food resources to the community.
If you are interested in volunteering, organizing a food drive or donating, visit www.flcfp.org
You can also support the organization to take steps against hunger by walking on June 2 in its 15th annual Happy Soles 5k. You can spend the morning walking, running or biking through Heritage Park, all in support of feeding those in need Downriver. The annual event raises funds for the pantry, helping Fish & Loaves stock the shelves with nutritious foods for families facing food insecurity.