Macomb Community Action receives grant for fresh food

More healthy choices will be available to to Macomb County residents who might have difficulty accessing fresh food.

Macomb Community Action has been awarded a $75,000 Healthy Food Connect grant for a healthy food pantry, and will work with the Macomb County Health Department, Michigan State University Extension, the Macomb Food Program, United Way of Southeast Michigan and Ford Motor Company to put it in place.

The grant will allow the Food Program to increase food access to people who have transportation issues in accessing food adn will also help bring ethnically-diverse food choices to Macomb County communities. Macomb Community Action strives to reduce malnutrition within the senior population who are often challenged with the ability to purchase fresh foods due to limited mobility and access. Additionally, the fresh food mobile pantry will expand to reach early childhood programs to ensure children are getting food options that encourage healthy development.

“Many Macomb County residents face barriers to accessing fresh, healthy foods,” said Rhonda Powell, director of Macomb Community Action. “A fresh food mobile pantry would reduce many of these barriers by bringing healthy food and educational resources directly to our residents.”

Healthy Food Connect seeks to improve health for children and seniors throughout southeast Michigan by connecting them to the people, places, programs and services necessary to ensure they have nutritious food options every day. It is an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Michigan Health Endowment Fund that supports collaboration of 72 organizations across all seven counties in the southeast Michigan region: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, Livingston and St. Clair. For more information, please visit www.cfsem.org/initiative/healthy-food-connect.

Photo by Sarah McDevittvia Flickr Commons