UPPER MICHIGAN (WLUC) – The Mackinac Bridge has been closed three times in three days due to falling ice. This has caused Feeding America West Michigan to cancel food distributions in the U.P.
Three food distribution trucks from Feeding America were sent back to the main warehouse in Kentwood, near Grand Rapids. Feeding America West Michigan President and CEO Ken Estelle said it’s cause for concern.
“Cause we’re here to help people get food they need,” said Estelle. “But these things happen. Fortunately, not that often, and rarely do they happen the first of April.”
Estelle recommends contacting your distribution host or checking feedwm.org for updates.
“Right on the homepage, there’s a ‘Find Food’ tab. If you go to that ‘Find Food’ tab, you can zero in on a particular location, zip code, or county. You can look at both our mobile distributions, where they’re at, scheduled, and our pantry partners.”
A Feeding America order at Munising Wesleyan Church was rescheduled from today to next Wednesday, according to Feeding America’s Mobile Food Pantry Schedule. Bill Brutto, Salvation Army of Marquette County Head Administrator, says he hopes to fill the gap.
“We’re gonna continue to serve our community the best we can,” Brutto said. “We have a supportive community. Of course, we need people to continue to support us because our numbers are rising. We’re up over 15% for the year.”
Brutto says there was a lot of discussion on social media about these food truck cancellations being related to budget cuts. He wants you to know that this was simply about the weather getting in the way.
“What was cut on the federal level were specific programs that had to do with local farmers going directly to food pantries or through Feeding America,” Brutto said. “But that doesn’t impact our day-to-day.”
Michigan Department of Transportation says more bridge closures are likely this week.
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