Escanaba Seventh Day Adventist Church Food Pantry, 210 S. Lincoln Road, and Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba, 2001 N. Lincoln Road, are among those on the list throughout the Upper Peninsula.

For the second consecutive year, UPCAP is providing funding to assist and supply food to residents in need and to support food pantries throughout the Upper Peninsula, according to Jonathan Mead, UPCAP president and CEO.

Over the next several months, UPCAP will purchase more than $180,000 in healthy food from U.P. farmers. Food items will include eggs, meat, dairy products such as milk and cheese, fruits and vegetables. Once purchased, the food will then be transported from the farms to food pantries throughout the region. Last year, $150,000 was donated, serving more than 3,000 households throughout the U.P. each month for six months.

In addition, with the recent federal withholding of SNAP benefits, UPCAP received more than $63,000 from the Food Bank Council of Michigan to purchase $50 food cards for 800 SNAP-eligible recipients and to help stock local pantries during November. Residents who receive food cards are presently receiving services from UPCAP programs.

Escanaba Seventh Day Adventist Church Food Pantry, 210 S. Lincoln Road, and Bay de Noc Community College, 2001 N. Lincoln Road, are two locations that will receive assistance, in funding or food, from the Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress.(Contributed photo)

With more than 14% of the U.P. population deemed food-insecure and/or SNAP-eligible, food assistance has become a regional priority for UPCAP. Unfortunately, food security is an issue that will need ongoing sustainable resources and innovative solutions to resolve, according to Tammy Rosa, nutrition program manager.

The full list of food pantries receiving assistance includes: Grand Marais Helping Hand Food Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantries (Gwinn, L’Anse, Bessemer, Watersmeet, Ontonagon and Manistique), Escanaba Seventh Day Adventist Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul Society Diocesan Council of Marquette Pantries (Iron Mountain, Marquette and Ishpeming), Ironwood St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry — Our Lady of Peace Conference, Calumet Free Fridge, Crystal Falls Guardian Angels St. Vincent de Paul, Chippewa Luce Mackinac Community Action Agency, Bay College of Escanaba, Northern Michigan University and Lake Superior State University.