Genesee County, Michigan – As the consequences of the prolonged government shutdown continue to affect the community, people in Genesee County are coming together to help one other. More than 40 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is putting a lot of stress on families in Genesee County. About one-fifth of the people in the area, or almost 80,000, require help with food to get by.
Local groups are stepping up to make sure that no one in the county goes hungry while there is still uncertainty about federal funding. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan has been a key element of the fight against hunger for a long time. It works with a network of partner groups to get food to people who need it. During this time of uncertainty, its commitment to making sure people can always have healthy meals has become even more important.
The county’s Senior Services Department, Veterans Services, and the Genesee County Community Action Resource Department (GCCARD) are all very important. These programs help those who are vulnerable every day, like older people on fixed incomes, families with young children, and veterans who are having trouble making ends meet. Their work, with backing from faith-based groups and volunteers, is helping to fill in any gaps in food access that might happen when federal programs are put on hold.
There are many places where residents can go for aid. Residents can identify food pantries near them by entering their zip code into the Pantry Locator. The Food Bank’s identify Food Calendar shows upcoming Pop-Up Pantry events in its 22-county service area. These technologies help people find food help right away when they need it the most.
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Local leaders are asking anybody who can help to provide money to support these continuing relief operations. You can give directly to GCCARD or the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. Both of these organizations depend on donations from the community to keep running. When people give through GCCARD, they are asked to say how they want their gifts to be used.
Genesee County still shows what it means to care for each other, even when things are unclear. The community’s response, from volunteers packing food boxes to groups organizing outreach, shows a simple truth: when people work together, no one needs to go hungry alone.
As things change, local agencies will keep sending out information and more services so that citizens know where to go for aid in the coming days.