One in five children in Michigan faces food insecurity, and Centreville Public Schools has taken action by opening the Centreville Public Schools Food Club, a free resource available to students across the entire district.
The in-school, miniature grocery store is designed to get food directly into the hands of kids and families who can use the extra supplies at home. Freezers, refrigerators and shelves full of staples — available to all students at no cost.
“The Centreville Public Schools Food Club is the single most powerful initiative I have been a part of,” said Chad Brady, Centerville Public Schools superintendent.
Each week students can shop in-person or order through an online account with their weekly point allotment to shop with. Items are priced to encourage nutritionally balanced purchases, with fresh and healthy foods costing fewer points.
“Every student at Centreville is assured direct access to major food items like dairy, beef, fruits and vegetables; personal hygiene items; even household grocery needs — at no cost and with no qualification other than being a student at Centreville Public Schools,” Brady said.
Beyond providing food, the program is engaging students through agriculture, offering St. Joseph County CTE Agriscience students valuable leadership opportunities while contributing to a powerful community effort.
This program goes beyond traditional backpack initiatives, with a goal of providing food to students while teaching them about making smart food choices and engaging students with each step of the supply chain.
“It’s a solution that supports the whole family and empowers kids,” said Audrey Carey, Community Engagement Specialist for the Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies.
“Coupled with a strong local agricultural community like St. Joseph County, initiatives like this present an opportunity for learning and empowerment that spans far beyond the shelves of the school food club itself.”
The Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies provided startup money to launch the food club, with additional startup support from:
- St. Joseph County CTE Consortium
- The Jason Scramlin Farm Bureau Insurance Agency, through two Agent Charitable Fund grants to support the food club’s establishment.
- The St. Joseph County Farm Bureau has been an active partner in sourcing commodity support.
- T.C. Appliance in Sturgis donated freezers.
The South Michigan Food Bank provided consultation on the food club’s layout and design process.
This initiative was inspired in part by the success of Lakeshore Food Club’s work at G2S Academy, which demonstrated the positive impact this type of model can have on students and families.
Where the Food Comes From
Community and business partners include:
- The South Michigan Food Bank
- Meijer, offering discounted items through its B2B program
- Walther’s Farms donate potatoes.
- High Acres Fruit Farms supply apples for the food club’s Thanksgiving kickoff.
- Community donations from the St Joseph County Fair 4-H Auction
The Michigan Farm Bureau Family of Companies’ social mission is to end childhood hunger in Michigan, and this partnership with Centreville Public Schools is one way that Farm Bureau is activating that mission. The goal is to create a scalable school food club model that works for rural and urban communities — one that fosters student and community involvement in solving hunger, and that can be easily adopted and sustained by school districts across the state.
Want to help? Financial and non-perishable food donations are welcome; contact Brady at [email protected] for more information.