Since we’re on a food pantry thread today, the following article is on page 3A of today’s print edition of The Monroe Evening News and is intended for my local readers in Monroe, Mich.:

By Michelle Swartz
mswartz@monroenews.com

A mobile food unit provided food for thousands of Monroe County families this past year.

Through a collaborative effort, a mobile food pantry distributed 400,000 pounds of food to area residents in need.

The mobile unit, providing food at various locations April through November, was provided by Monroe County Opportunity Program (MCOP), Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan and a Food Council made up of local organizations and churches.

“We increased the amount of emergency food distributed by 87 percent. Clearly, there is a need,” said Stephanie Kasprzak, executive director for MCOP. “It was a collaborative effort with Gleaners and the cooperation of local churches and organizations.”

During its eight-month run, the mobile pantry helped feed 4,500 households.

“That is the number of households, so you can multiply that number by 2½ people,” she said. “It’s a huge number that is a reflection of the economy.”

This summer, the Food Council also will be opening Monroe County’s only client-choice pantry, called the Lord’s Harvest Pantry, at the MCOP office at 1140 S. Telegraph Rd., Monroe, Mich. Its goal is to provide greater access and nutritional choices. It also allows the group to distribute more than 1 million pounds of food.

“We plan to build the pantry in May and hope to open sometime this summer,” Mrs. Kasprzak said.

The next mobile food pantry will be available after the annual Easter egg hunt March 27 at Munson Park, 2770 N. Custer Rd., Monroe, Mich. Preregistration is required. To pre-register, call MCOP at (734) 241-2775.