GLFB COVID-19 Response - Greater Lansing Food Bank

Greater Lansing Food Bank will continue to serve our neighbors who are food insecure during these uncertain times.

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Community Response Find Food Assistance Volunteering Garden Project SNAP Regarding Upcoming Events

This web page is dedicated to COVID-19 (coronavirus) updates as it relates to Greater Lansing Food Bank.
Refresh this web page for the latest updates.

Updated 5/27/2020

Closures of businesses and schools have affected lower-income families, people with hourly wages and those who may be experiencing food insecurity for the first time. Your donation will allow GLFB to meet the increasing needs of our community during this difficult time. A donation of any amount helps GLFB continue to respond now and beyond this pandemic.

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Community Response & GLFB Protocols

As the pandemic continues, the rate of unemployment and the need for emergency food in our community increases. Greater Lansing Food Bank has been working with partner agencies and community organizations to provide nutritious meals where they are needed and making sure to fill gaps where they exist.

Greater Lansing Food Bank has created protocols for the safety of food, staff, facilities, volunteers, agency partners and program sites while also considering our important role as the community’s primary safety-net food resource. GLFB has taken the following steps will help reduce contact and/or spread of COVID-19:

Mobile food distributions will continue, however meals will be packed in boxes and distributed directly into vehicles of attendees to minimize human contact. Future mobile distributions will be determined by each municipality/host.
Agency partners can pick up food orders at the warehouse, however, they are be asked to wash hands, use hand sanitizer and stay in a limited area. Produce/dairy will be pulled for agencies by staff instead of allowing agencies to “shop” the cooler.
Agencies that choose to temporarily close or alter hours are asked to inform GLFB so we can communicate with other community partners (such as 2-1-1) and potentially create a plan to serve that area.
And of course, we’re increasing the frequency of cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing in our buildings.

Anyone associated with the Food Bank’s activity including volunteers, agency partners and staff members are being encouraged to follow the tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services:

Stay home if you do not feel well (fever, runny nose, coughing, etc.) and notify supervisor of illness. You must be symptom-free for at least 24 hours before returning to the workplace.
Avoid close contact with others who may be sick.
Thoroughly wash your hands (for 30 seconds) with soap and warm water upon entering the building, after breaks, after using the restroom, after using your phone, sneezing, blowing your nose, and/or touching your face. Use hand sanitizer or hand wipes regularly.
Cover sneezes and coughs with a tissue or your arm, then throw the tissue away.
Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, and mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
Use gloves when handling food products. Replace gloves if they become ripped, torn or contaminated.

Food Initiatives by the Public

Greater Lansing Food Bank and our food partners understand that many groups, organizations, churches, and even families want to help their neighbors by distributing food. We have no doubt their intentions are good, however, we ask that food initiatives or food drives are not attempted at this time. Instead, please work with the existing food pantries and agencies so your efforts don’t do more harm than good.

Find Food Assistance

If you are a parent or guardian of school-aged children, check with your local school district to confirm the meal distribution hours and locations. You may also check the Michigan Department of Education’s food access database through its Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), which is updated regularly, to see the nearest food distribution sites.
If you are NOT a parent or guardian of school-aged children, please do not use the school meal programs for your primary food needs. To locate the nearest emergency food resource near you, call the United Way 2-1-1 hotline by dialing 2-1-1, or visit: centralmichigan211.org.
If you are a senior citizen, call the Tri-County Office on Aging at (517) 887-1460 for the Meals on Wheels home delivered meals program, and (517) 887-1393 for available pick-up sites for pre-packaged food.
If you are unsure or have any other questions about emergency food resources, call the GLFB Assistance Line at (517) 899-9457.

First time? We’d love to help you get the food you need. Visit our list of FAQs on How to Visit a Food Pantry.

Volunteering

Volunteer activity in our warehouse will be kept at minimum, with mostly GLFB staff sorting and packing food for distribution, until further notice.

If you are interested in volunteering at this time, check out these volunteer opportunities for COVID-19 response all over the state.

Garden Project

All GLFB Garden Project-supported community gardens are following safe gardening and physical distancing practices.

SNAP

FOR CURRENT RECIPIENTS OF SNAP:

Additional SNAP Benefits
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will be issuing additional benefits to current SNAP households in response to the COVID-19 emergency.
- Households receiving SNAP benefits in Michigan that are not currently receiving the maximum amount allowed per household size, will receive an additional amount to raise benefits to the maximum for May.
- Households that currently receive the maximum benefits amount allowed for their household size already, will not receive any additional benefits at this time.
- May Food Assistance Program flyer
  - English
Double Up Food Bucks
In response to COVID-19, Fair Food Network has made a change to the Double Up Food Bucks earnings at participating locations. To assist our community in getting the food they need, Double Up Food Bucks has temporarily removed the $20 daily limit that a customer can earn on fresh fruits and vegetables. Many of our participating grocery stores and all of the farmers markets and farm stands currently open have removed limits.
Please know that this is a temporary change and Fair Food Network will notify you immediately of future changes to the program. The Double Up Food Bucks website will also be continuously updated.
NEW Pandemic EBT Program
The Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) provides temporary funding to address emergency food needs for families affected by the pandemic.
P-EBT food assistance benefits will go to Michigan families with students ages 5-18 that are eligible for free
or reduced-price school meals. This includes families currently receiving Food Assistance Program benefits,
as well as those not currently enrolled in the program. No application is necessary for eligible families to
receive P-EBT benefits.
- For more information, download the Pandemic EBT Flyer.

FOR ASSISTANCE APPLYING FOR SNAP/FOOD BENEFITS:

Call the GLFB Assistance Line at (517) 899-9457, or
Apply on your smartphone

Regarding Upcoming Events

The Empty Plate Strolling Dinner and Auction will not be taking place as scheduled. After careful consideration, GLFB board of directors have decided to postpone the event until 2021. A new date of May 6, 2021 has been set. Details will be shared once the date nears.