State waivers, volunteers sought to distribute food during COVID-19 pandemic

LANSING, Mich. — Governor Whitmer’s announcement to close Michigan K-12 schools through April 5 has prompted action by the Food Bank Council of Michigan and its seven regional food banks.

Intended to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the closure means that at least 897,037 children in Michigan will not have meals for at least the next three weeks. Students typically receive at least breakfast and lunch at school through the free and reduced meal program.

            Coupling the demand for more food is a shortage of food bank volunteers. Safety protocols, such as staying at home and social distancing, has impacted the number of volunteers for packing and distributing food.

            “Our immediate needs are startup funding and volunteers,” said Phil Knight, executive director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan. “Our seven regional food banks are excellent at meeting the daily needs of our residents and families facing food insecurity. The issues surrounding the COVID-19 virus, however, substantially impact our ability to feed nearly a million more children and others during this national pandemic.”

            The Food Bank Council is working with the Michigan Department of Education to apply for waivers to activate the Summer Feeding program. If awarded, the program will help cover the costs of feeding hungry children while school is closed.

            Currently, the Food Bank Council plan for food distribution to families with school-age children is:

• Michigan’s seven regional food banks to package the food into boxes
• Work with school partners to determine the appropriate time for distribution
• Schools to communicate the time and location for food pickup to their communities
• Food bank trucks will be on location to help distribute meal boxes that follow the same nutritional value of USDA requirements

“This process helps ensure adherence to safety protocols, keeping everyone involved safe and helping meet the need of our hungry students,” said Knight.

            To donate or volunteer, call the Food Bank Council of Michigan at 517.485.1202 or visit www.fbcmich.org.

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