GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The uncertain state of SNAP benefits this month has brought fresh faces to SECOM, a Grand Rapids nonprofit.
“People don’t know what’s going on. There’s a lot of back and forth. People are worried and concerned about food,” said Pablo Garcia, executive director of SECOM.
Still, food insecurity is nothing new, Garcia says, as traffic at the nonprofit tripled this past fiscal year with more and more families making use of SECOM’s food pantry and fresh market.
“We have to work together to feed our neighbors and take care of each other,” he said. “A pantry isn’t going to solve all these problems, but we have to really do it together.”
While tips and tricks to save money don’t really address the root causes of hunger, they do help in the day-to-day and the paycheck-to-paycheck, a reality in which many live.
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SECOM
SECOM — South End Community Outreach Ministries — serves those living in the 49507 and the 49546 zip codes. The nonprofit’s food pantry and fresh market is open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and on Fridays (9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.).
“We’re all here to do the best that we can, to offer support where we can and where we see fit,” Garcia said about food pantries in Kent County.
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According to SECOM’s website, its most needed donations for its food pantry are diapers (sizes 4-7), baby wipes, pull-ups, fresh produce, grains, rice and pasta.
“So please continue to support us. Whether that be financial or food donations, we’ll take any,” he said. “We’re really grateful to even have a have a seat at the table.”
For more information, contact [email protected].
READ MORE: ‘People were scared of the unknown’: SNAP cuts ripple through local stores
Local grocery stores
The Grand Rapids area has a number of locally-owned, Hispanic grocery stores with hidden deals. Garcia says El Especial Supermarket, Supermercado Mexico and National Supermarket are three he’d “definitely recommend.”
“We don’t always have to rely on the big stores,” he said. “The little ones will work well, too.”
Daily Deals
Daily Deals, a grocery store chain that buys excess or closeout food items and resells them at lower prices, has a number of locations in West Michigan, including stores in Comstock Park and Wyoming.
Double Up Food Bucks
Double Up Food Bucks is a national nonprofit fueled by state and federal support that matches fresh produce purchases dollar for dollar at participating stores and farmers markets.
In Michigan, it is open to anyone who uses a Bridge Card.
Due to the temporary pause in SNAP benefits, the program has added additional opportunities for savings, including unlimited daily matches (rather than the previous, $20 limit) and no expiration on earned credit.
Those who currently shop through the program may also be eligible for an additional $40 in credit, too.
For more information on Double Up Food Bucks, click here.
Other options
As the holidays approach, Garcia says a number of Grand Rapids area restaurants offer free meals.
He also says a popular social media personality called Dollar Tree Dinners shows people how to purchase and prepare simple, affordable meals.
“She gives you the whole recipe, the whole list of everything you can buy at Dollar Tree to feed your family of four,” Garcia said.
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As always, shopping with coupons and looking for sales is recommended, too.
“People are paying attention. People are empathetic to the fact that your neighbors need food,” Garcia said about the state of food insecurity in America. “That’s been really cool, to see the community really come together in Kent County — Grand Rapids, specifically — to feed each other, support each other.”
