Mason County food pantry receives grant to help combat healthcare disparities

LUDINGTON — A Northern Michigan food pantry is receiving a grant to help fight food insecurity.

Lakeshore Food Club in Ludington received a $2,500 grant from the Michigan Association of Health Plans (MAHP) during their annual Empty Bowls Fundraiser.

MAHP is making the funding available as part of their initiative to tackle healthcare disparities across the state by helping local community benefit organizations start initiatives aimed at bettering health outcomes.

According to data from Feeding America, nearly 4,000 people and 900 children living in Mason County face food insecurity.

The Deputy Director of MAHP Brian Mills, said the grant program helps their health plans learn best practices from local community benefit organizations like Lakeshore to advance outcomes in, “health equity.”

Mills explained Lakeshore’s statistics illustrating the demand they’ve seen with them making over 2,000 transactions a month. He says he hopes their grant will help make a difference in Mason County.

“They’re going to use this grant from MAHP to advance those needs in their community and measure outcomes to see if this can help move the needle with people and their healthcare needs and outcomes,” Mills said.

Mills admitted their grant program is just getting started as they plan to give to more community benefit organizations that assist with food, transportation and housing needs.