The Next Chapter of Change: Transforming the Regional Emergency Food System in Northwest Michigan
The Next Chapter of Change: Transforming the Regional Emergency Food System in Northwest Michigan
Freya • Nov 19, 2025
Communities across Northwest Michigan have been feeling the strain of rising food insecurity in recent months. Reductions in federal programs, the federal pause on SNAP benefits, and the rising cost of food have contributed to sharp increases in demand at local food pantries and meal sites. These pressures have tested the region’s emergency food system, revealing how vital strong relationships and shared structures are in moments of urgency and uncertainty.
Resilient systems don’t just happen. They require the intention and commitment of partners who are willing to learn together, share power, and stay aligned as conditions and needs shift. The collaborators behind Northwest Michigan’s emergency food system have been working together for years to improve the way the system works for neighbors in need. Two years after being featured in Stories of Change: How a System Change Approach is Transforming a Region, their work has entered a new and inspiring chapter.
With leadership from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and new support from a USDA Local Food Purchase Assistance grant, the Northwest Food Coalition, Goodwill Northern Michigan’s Food Rescue, and Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities have been able to dramatically expand their impact. Together, they increased purchasing power for fresh, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods; strengthened support for more than 21 local and tribal producers; and ensured that 70+ pantries and meal sites could offer neighbors greater choice and dignity.
Their partnership is now being recognized nationally as a model for systems change rooted in trust, equity, and shared leadership. Despite shifting federal policies and rising demand, the partners continue to demonstrate what becomes possible when communities learn and adapt together.