The program sends food to Coopersville families and students

By: Teresa Weakley, Madeline Keefe, Robert March and Connor Block, Coopersville High School

Sent: October 25, 2024 04:30 EDT

Updated: October 24, 2024 11:57 am EDT

COOPERSVILLE, Mich. (WOOD) — Coopersville High School students put on their journalism hats and headed to a food pantry benefiting from this week’s Football Frenzy Food Drive to find out what impact their donations will have.

He cares about Coopersville was founded by local church leaders to improve the community. The founders worked to pool resources, rather than each group operating independently, in order to reach more people.

Anyone living in the Coopersville Area Public Schools area can check if their income qualifies their family for a free food box from Coopersville Cares and can request one weekly box.

“We distribute food two days a week, which is Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon, and then on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.,” explained pantry director Mandi Garvey.

There is also demand within schools. o Coopersville Cares offers pre-packaged meals to students. At the end of the week, volunteers provide a grab-and-go meal for food-insecure children.

“This is for kids who may not have a regular dinner planned when they get home, so they won’t be hungry,” Garvey said. “These meals are brought in and then put into backpacks, so if they don’t get what they need, they just have to talk to their school counselor or social worker and they will come here and sort it out.” box for them.”