By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


The COVID-19 outbreak is amplifying traditional barriers to food access in Michigan, and older residents are especially vulnerable.

The Food Bank Council of Michigan and Area Agencies on Aging are working together to distribute quarantine food boxes to food insecure seniors who need to shelter in place to protect themselves from the coronavirus. Dawn Opel, director of research and strategic initiatives for the Food Bank Council of Michigan, explains that older adults may not be able to rely on their traditional family support for delivered meals, and others find it difficult to navigate home delivery services.

"Adding all of those access barriers on top of the kind that a lot of seniors normally experience even without COVID-19 proved a real need for a program like this, especially because of the increased vulnerability of seniors to the COVID-19 virus," she states.

According to America's Health Rankings, more than 13% of Michiganders age 60-plus faced the threat of hunger over the past year. Donations are needed for the quarantine food boxes, which cost $28 and provide 22 well balanced meals. Learn more at fbcmich.org.

Opel says hunger fighting organizations are shifting their model of food distribution to respond to nearly double the need for assistance, as well as social distancing recommendations.

"Home delivery is one need that we have found in the last three weeks has reached unprecedented levels, folks that are either self-isolating or need to stay home or lack transportation or other barriers because of child care, etc., really are struggling to get out to more emergency outlets for traditional food distribution," she states.

Older adults who need additional support can sign up for assistance through their local Area Agency on Aging, including meal delivery, non-perishable food items and daily wellness check calls. Livingston County is covered by the Area Agency on Aging 1-B.

Local agencies that have stepped up food distribution include Gleaners Community Food Bank, Torch 180 and Bountiful Harvest.

Public News Service contributed to this report.