It’s beginning to look a lot like … Christmas in June!

Thank you for your support!

This “Christmas in June,” help restock area food pantries—United Way will do the shopping for you!

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United Way of Southwest Michigan’s annual “Christmas in June” food drive for local pantries kicks off today to benefit 38 pantries in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties.

Every year, food pantries across Southwest Michigan are fully stocked in the winter months thanks to generous holiday donations—but when summer comes, pantry shelves are sparse. This can leave low-income, hard-working families with limited options during this time, and more families than ever need help this year.  

So, for the fourth year in a row, United Way of Southwest Michigan asks local businesses and community members to participate in its “Christmas in June” event to stock local food pantries with items to get them through the warmer months.  

And United Way is making it safer and easier than ever—because the shopping is done for you! Visit the “Christmas in June” page at uwsm.org and simply pick how much you want to spend, and United Way will make sure each pantry gets exactly what they need.  

For example, a $10 GIFT PROVIDES the ability to purchase 28 items which will provide 13 meals for a family of 4, which should last them 3 days, while a $150 GIFT PROVIDES the ability to purchase 402 items which will provide 138 meals for a family of 4. There are food baskets and shopping charts in various dollar amounts in between.  

“We had to come up with a different way of helping food pantries this year, and our ‘digital food drive’ is simple and easy since it can be done without even leaving home,” said Charlotte Becker, Director of Annual Campaign at United Way of Southwest Michigan. “The need is tremendous this year, and everyone who donates will make a big impact on families in our community.”  

“Christmas in June” is part of a worldwide United Way “Day of Action” effort, held in June, during which tens of thousands of people across the globe volunteer with local United Ways to fight for the health, education, and financial stability of every person in every community.

Join United Way in bringing some cheer to local pantries again this June!

Local pantries receiving donations from “Christmas in June”:

Berrien County

  • Benton Harbor Street Ministry, Benton Harbor

  • Blue Roof Church, St. Joseph

  • Catholic Community Center, Benton Harbor

  • Christian Service Center, Niles

  • Coloma United Methodist Church, Coloma

  • Emergency Shelter Services, Benton Harbor

  • Fairplain Presbyterian Church, Benton Harbor

  • First Presbyterian Church, Benton Harbor

  • First Presbyterian Church, Niles

  • Harbor Country Emergency Food Pantry, Three Oaks

  • Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Niles

  • Neighbor to Neighbor, Berrien Springs

  • New Heights Community Food Network, Benton Harbor

  • Red Bud Ministry, Buchanan

  • Road to Hope, St. Joseph

  • Seventh Day Adventist, Benton Harbor

  • Seventh Day Adventist, St. Joseph

  • Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, Benton Harbor

  • St. Augustine of Canterbury, Benton Harbor

  • The Avenue - Cora Lamping Center, Benton Harbor

  • The Avenue - Harbor House, Benton Harbor

  • The Salvation Army - Benton Harbor Corps, Benton Harbor

  • The Salvation Army - Niles Corps, Niles

  • United Methodist Church, Berrien Springs

  • Watervliet Free Methodist Church, Watervliet

  • Woodland Shores Baptist Church, Bridgman

Cass County

  • Helping Hands of Cass County, Cassopolis

  • Action Ministries, Dowagiac

  • First Christian Church, Dowagiac

  • Marcellus United Methodist Church, Marcellus

  • Our Lady of the Lake, Edwardsburg

  • St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Dowagiac

Van Buren County

  • Hartford United Methodist Church, Hartford

  • Decatur Human Services, Decatur

  • Eleanor's Pantry, Paw Paw

  • Gobles-Kendall Area Ministerial Association Food Pantry, Gobles

  • Living Water Food Pantry, Watervliet

  • We Care, Inc., South Haven