Muskegon County Cooperating Churches
Mobile Food Pantry/Depot Delivery
Since 2005, MCCC has worked to coordinate the food distribution in Muskegon County from the Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank, Inc. In addition, we began the coordination of the Muskegon Depot Delivery Program. The Depot program brings food from Feeding America to the Mart Dock in downtown Muskegon. Each individual pantry that is part of the program orders and pays for their own food, which is delivered by semi-truck to the central location in Muskegon. The Depot program was begun with funding from the Julia Hackley Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County and is currently supported by funds from the Thomas & Geraldine Seyferth Fund of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County. The Depot program has been such a success it has been replicated in five other counties.
What is a Mobile Food Pantry?
Food mobile pantries are converted beverage delivery trucks. They have 4 – 5 bays on a side, with lift-up doors, which hold fresh produce and dairy products. The food comes from Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank, Inc in Comstock Park, near Grand Rapids. Mobile pantries are meant to help a family or an individual supplement other food they receive or have, such as canned & dry goods, received from a food pantry. The mobile food pantries are designed so that each family receives approximately 40 - 50 pounds of food. The pantry vehicles vary in size and will carry either 5,000 pounds or 7,500 pounds or 10,000 pounds of food.
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A church or other group wishing to host a mobile food pantry needs to have a hosting location with at least 50 feet of clear space for the vehicle, 10 feet around the truck itself when parked, and 13 feet of overhead clearance. Please note: we cannot have food mobiles at for-profit organizations or any location where food is sold at the same time. You will need about 25 – 30 volunteers. Feeding America has a complete list of guidelines for hosting a local food pantry.
Hosting a Mobile Food Pantry
