With hunger on the rise, Food Bank Council asks the Michigan Legislature to boost funding
As Michiganders increasingly turn to food pantries and other community sites in the wake of pandemic-related benefits ending and grocery prices rising, the Food Bank Council of Michigan is asking lawmakers for additional funds advocates say would help to address the growing food insecurity that’s leaving residents to struggle with hunger across the state.
The Food Bank Council of Michigan received about $2 million in the state’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget. Now, as lawmakers are crafting their proposals for the FY 2024 budget that goes into effect on Oct. 1, the council is requesting $20 million.
That increase, Food Bank Council of Michigan Executive Director Phil Knight said, would allow his organization to purchase additional food directly from Michigan farms and secure millions of more meals for emergency food recipients, who are largely working families, children and retirees. The council works with a network of regional food banks to provide food for about 3,000 local agencies, such as pantries, that distribute food at no charge to those who need it.