GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A local nonprofit has found a clever way to help families eat healthy without breaking the bank.
Community Food Club is a member-based grocery store that serves families in Kent County. Members pay between $11 and $15 for the month, and can shop as often as they need. Most members receive about nine to 11 days' worth of food each month.
The club is set up like a normal grocery store, but there's one main difference: The healthier food, like fruits and vegetables, are cheaper than everything else.
This incentivizes members to prioritize their health, and it seems to be catching on. The club currently serves about 7,000 people every month.
"So we know right now that people are really struggling in terms of food access, right. So when the SNAP benefits or food stamps got cut in March, those COVID benefits went away, we've seen a greater need than ever before. And we also are operating in a food desert," said AJ Fossel, executive director of Community Food Club. "So we kind of work to exist to fill both of those gaps. People really need access to healthy food. And we know that that's really expensive in the grocery store. So we're just an access point in the place where people need us most."
None of this would be possible without help from the community, Fossel said. The club is currently looking for people to help with their mission by donating time or money.
To learn more about Community Food Club and how you can help, visit their website here.
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