Lakeshore Food Club observes Hunger Action Month.

Sen. Curt VanderWall speaks with Lakeshore Food Club board members Monica Schuyler, Lynne Russell, and Meryl Smith.

Lakeshore Food Club observes Hunger Action Month.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — The Lakeshore Food Club held an open house Monday morning in observance of Hunger Action Month. The club opened two years ago and provides operates as a membership with food and household projects purchased on a point system.

“The Lakeshore Food Club has been promoting Hunger Action Month in an effort to build more awareness regarding the number of individuals and families facing food insecurity in Mason County,” said Lynne Russell, president of the food club board.

State Senator Curt VanderWall, R-Ludington, attended the event and spoke of the gap the non-profit agency fills in Mason County.

“Households of all types struggle to make ends meet,” VanderWall said, adding that in Mason County, 45 percent of families live below the “ALICE” threshold, which stands for asset, limited, income, constrained, employed. “These hardworking families in our community struggle to make ends meet and are living just one emergency away from financial crisis.

“ALICE households are forced to make difficult choices between paying for medication or preventative health care, rent, accredited child care, quality food, utilities, or car insurance. This prevents them from saving to protect their family against an emergency or even owning assets. These hard choices threaten families’ health, safety and future, and the costs are high for both ALICE and the wider community. The future success of our communities is directly tied to the financial stability of ALICE households.”

VanderWall said Lakeshore Food Club offers shoppers an experience that allows shoppers a dignified experience.

The food club, to date, has served over 1,820 households, over 5,000 individuals, including 1,900 children, and 370 senior citizens ages 65 and over.

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