Outreach in Action

Collaboration between Outreach and South Michigan Food Bank still going strong

by Jo Mayer and Paul Crandall

Nearly ten years after its inception, a collaboration between Stockbridge Community Outreach and the South Michigan Food Bank is still going strong, according to coordinator Dianna Carpenter.

Offering a monthly food distribution for low-income families in Jackson County, the partnership has grown over the years. It’s blossomed from an initial, summer-only distribution of 3-5 pounds per recipient to a year-round distribution of about 20 pounds per recipient being distributed to about 150 households.

Now funded by Outreach, the collaboration was launched in the summer of 2015 by local residents and Outreach volunteers Craig and Laurie Goodlock, with Jeruel Baptist Church serving as the drop-off spot.

Once the boxes arrive at Jeruel, Carpenter positions her team of 10-15 volunteers into two groups that place the boxes, and sometimes supplemental baked goods, into cars queued up to receive. Distribution takes place between 4 and 5 p.m. on the second Monday of the month.

To round out the picture, we initiated a quick conversation with Brittney Fletcher, chief operating officer of the South Michigan Food Bank, who answered the following questions.

What is usually included in the food boxes? In each box there is a combination of fruits, vegetables, dairy and dry items. We try to keep the boxes as fresh as we can, but being in Michigan during the winter months, we are limited to what is available and sometimes have to add shelf-stable items like nuts, dried fruit or beans.

What sources do you use to fill the boxes? We use a combination of USDA, donated, and purchased food, and products from the Michigan Agricultural Surplus System.

Has it been harder to get food since the pandemic? For the most part, our food supply chain is back to normal, but there has been an increase in the need. We have more people needing food now due to inflation. There are so many people now that are just struggling to make ends meet and need the extra help.

Some additional information gleaned from the website (smfoodbank.org): In 2023 South Michigan Food Bank agency partners grew to include over 360 locations across the food bank’s 8-county service area. The food bank is one of 200 across the nation, and coordinates with 100 sites receiving fresh food distributions.

This column is sponsored by Stockbridge Community Outreach. Our local food pantry, crisis, and referral center is located in the Stockbridge Activity Center (old middle school) near Cherry and Elm streets in Stockbridge.
Office hours are 1-3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and by appointment. [email protected], 517-851-7285, or find us on Facebook.

All photos by Jo Mayer

A collaboration between Stockbridge Community Outreach and the South Michigan Food Bank offers a monthly food distribution for low-income families in Jackson County.

Towers of boxed food on pallets dropped by South Michigan Food Bank in the parking lot of Jeruel Baptist Church.

Dianna Carpenter (front, clipboard in hand) and her team prepare to distribute food in early December.

Cars lined up, two-by-two, for the monthly food distribution in the Jeruel Baptist Church parking lot.