United Way of Southwest Michigan partners with Michigan United Ways and the Kellogg Company for the second annual Summer Stock Up local food drive

Summer Stock Up is a statewide in-person & virtual food drive to stock the shelves of local food banks and pantries during the lean summer months.

On June 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the public is encouraged to drop off non-perishable food items at: 

First Church of God, Life Center

2627 Niles Ave., St. Joseph 

Berrien County Youth Fair, Craft Barn

9122 UW HWY 31, Berrien Springs

Lawrence Public Schools, Elementary Gymnasium

714 W. St Joseph Ave., Lawrence

Brookside Learning Center

61662 Dailey Rd., Cassopolis

In addition to the in-person food drive, UWSM is offering the community the opportunity to donate online at uwsm.org/summer-stock-up. 

Having enough food is a basic challenge for so many in Southwest Michigan—especially right now, as food and gas prices and other living expenses are increasing. While we are all feeling the effects of rising inflation, those in poverty-level and ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households are experiencing it the worst.

At least 1 in 8 Michiganders face hunger, and with fewer resources during the summer months, Michigan food banks see an increase of 20% for families seeking food resources between June and August.  

But access to food isn’t the only issue—in 2019, the cost of food represented more than 20% of an ALICE family's household survival budget. As the cost of food continues to climb, we know these Michiganders would need more than $650 million more per year to meet their food needs.

“As we continue to support the needs of ALICE families throughout the state, Summer Stock Up is just one of the many initiatives that addresses the critical need to help ensure our community has access to fresh, healthy food all summer long,” said Anna Murphy, President and CEO of United Way of Southwest Michigan. “With the current rising costs of food today, more Michigan families will need the support of their local food banks and pantries—and based on the success of last year’s program, Summer Stock Up has proven to make an incredible impact.”

Families with children feel the impact of food insecurity even more profoundly. According to the recent ALICE in Focus: Children Research Brief, as recently as the fall of 2021, 41% of Michigan families below the ALICE threshold with children reported that sometimes or often, “children were not eating enough because we just couldn’t afford enough food.” For many kids, when class lets out for the summer, they no longer have access to the nutritious breakfast and lunch they normally receive while in school.

“People cannot reach their full potential if they’re hungry. Kellogg’s Better Days is our promise to advance sustainable and equitable access to food, including feeding 375 million people in need by the end of 2030,” says Stephanie Slingerland, Senior Director, Global Philanthropy and Social Impact at Kellogg Company. “We are proud to stand alongside United Way in a partnership that is focused on our aligned values and creating a positive impact in our communities.”

The inaugural Summer Stock Up in 2021 raised more than $63,000 and collected more than 46,000 pounds of food, benefiting 220 food pantries across the state, including in Southwest Michigan.

Who benefits? 40 food pantries in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties!

BERRIEN:

• Benton Harbor Street Ministry

• Catholic Community Center

• The Avenue/Harbor House

• The Avenue/Cora Lamping Center

• The Avenue/The Autumn House

• Emergency Shelter Services

• Fairplain Presbyterian Church

• First Presbyterian Church Food Pantry

• New Heights Community Food Network

• Seventh Day Adventist

• SMCAA

• St. Augustine of Canterbury

• The Salvation Army - Benton Harbor

• Neighbor to Neighbor

• United Methodist Church, Bread of Heaven Food Pantry

• Caring Cupboard, Woodland Shores Baptist Church

• Red Bud Ministry

• Hope Resources

• St. Mary's Christian Service Center

• First Presbyterian Church

• Mt. Calvary Baptist Church

• The Salvation Army - Niles

• Blue Roof Church - The Common Table Food Pantry

• Road to Hope

• Seventh Day Adventist

• Harbor Country Emergency Food Pantry

• Living Water Food Pantry/Watervliet Free Methodist Church

CASS:

• Helping Hands of Cass County

• Action Ministries

• First Christian Church, Feed My Sheep Food Pantry

• Edwardsburg Food Pantry

• Marcellus Community Food Pantry 

VAN BUREN:

• Hartford Cooperating Ministries Food Pantry

• We Care, Inc.

• Gobles-Kendall Area Ministerial Association Food Pantry

• Eleanor's Pantry

• Mattawan Area Pantry 

ABOUT UNITED WAY

United Way of Southwest Michigan fights for the Health, Education, and Financial Stability of every person in every community. We have the influence and relationships to make sustainable change a reality. By harnessing resources from corporate, nonprofit, and public partners, we provide immediate assistance to our most vulnerable populations while addressing the root causes of our community's longstanding challenges and changing lives for the better. To join the fight—through giving, advocacy, and volunteering—visit www.uwsm.org.