Food items found in some of the boxes Focus: HOPE has prepared. Credit: (Detroit Free Press photo by Eric Seals)

Seniors living in Michigan’s Thumb can now apply to get free food assistance.

Detroit Free Press
This story also appeared in Detroit Free Press

The Detroit-based nonprofit Focus: HOPE is expanding its Food for Seniors Program to five counties: Huron, Sanilac, St. Clair, Lapeer and Tuscola. Two thousand seniors can apply to get items, such as milk, cereal and canned goods, monthly. Food boxes are available at several locations throughout the region and by delivery for homebound seniors. Residents in Wayne, Macomb, Oakland and Washtenaw counties can also get a food box at select health centers when they go in for an appointment or walk in.

“Food deserts have a major impact on the lives of many with an even greater impact on seniors. It is vital that we reach these communities, that is why we are so excited to expand our reach into the Thumb Region and provide those seniors with a resource they can rely on,” Frank Kubik, director of the Food for Seniors Program, said in a news release

Here is what to know about the expansion:

Who qualifies for the Food for Seniors program

Food for Seniors is a program for residents 60 years old and above who live in the following counties: Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Lapeer, Sanilac, Huron, St. Clair and Tuscola. The program provides more than 42,000 seniors with monthly food packages. Focus: HOPE is encouraging another 2,000 seniors to apply, as older residents grapple with a lack of healthy and affordable food options. Seniors must also meet income eligibility requirements. A family of two, for instance, making $25,636 a year or less qualifies.

How to apply

Eligible seniors can apply for the program by calling Focus: HOPE at 313-494-4600, emailing food@focushope.edu or visiting a distribution site, during specific days and times, which are subject to change. Focus: HOPE also offers home delivery for qualifying seniors who are homebound or have disabilities. Those residents can call Focus: HOPE 313-494-4980 for that service. Click here for more information about the program.

Food distribution locations

Wayne County

  • Focus: HOPE: 1400 Oakman Boulevard, Detroit; 313-494-4600; food@focushope.edu.
  • LA SED Senior Center: 7150 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit; 313-841-9540; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., fourth Wednesday of each month. No appointment needed.
  • Gibraltar Food Pantry: 29885 Bayview Drive; 734-676-5266; 11 a.m. to noon, Wednesdays; 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesdays. Residents must call to enroll.
  • Lincoln Park Senior Center: 3240 Ferris Avenue; 313-386-1817; 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesday, after the first Monday of each month. No appointment needed.
  • Community Sharing: 2920 N. Milford Road, Highland; 248-889-0347. Residents must call to enroll and must be residents of Highland Township.

Macomb County

  • Lighthouse of Macomb: 28571 Gratiot Avenue, Roseville; 586-776-1230. Residents must call to enroll.

Oakland County

  • Pontiac Public Library: 60 E. Pike Street; 248-758-3942; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., first, second and third Wednesdays of each month. No appointment needed.
  • Dublin Senior Center: 685 Union Lake Road, White Lake; 248-698-2394; 11 a.m. to noon, second Tuesday of each month. No appointment needed.

Washtenaw County

  • Pittsfield Township Community/Senior Center: 701 W. Ellsworth Road, Ann Arbor; 734-822-2120; 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., second Thursday of each month. No appointment needed.
  • Ypsilanti Community Center: 2025 E. Clark Road; 734-544-3800; 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., first Thursday of each month. No appointment needed.

Huron County

  • Huron County Expo Center: 170 Soper Road, Bad Axe; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., bi-monthly on the third Thursday of the month, starting Sept. 19

Lapeer County

  • American Legion Post 16: 1701 W. Genesee Street, Lapeer; 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., bi-monthly on the third Thursday of the month. The next days are Oct. 17 and Dec. 19.

Sanilac County

  • St. Elizabeth Parish Center: 6817 W. Marlette Road, Marlette; 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., bi-monthly on the third Thursday of the month, starting Sept. 19.

St. Clair County

  • Port Huron Salvation Army: 2000 Court Street; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., bi-monthly on the fourth Tuesday of the month. The next day is Oct. 22.

Tuscola County

  • Tuscola Fair Grounds: 188 Park Drive, Caro; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., bi-monthly on the Thursday of the month. The next days are October 17 and Dec. 19.

Health screenings and food help

Health services are also available for seniors in Wayne, Macomb, Oakland and Washtenaw counties, through a partnership with Focus: HOPE and EPIC Health. Seniors can walk in or schedule an appointment online at www.zocdoc.com/wl/epichs/search. Residents can also get a supplementary food box.

Here are the EPIC Health locations:

  • Clawson: 909 W. Maple Road; 248-435-2028
  • Detroit Livernois: 18463 Livernois; 313-861-4400
  • Detroit 7 Mile: 20901 W. 7 Mile Road; 313-564-5510
  • Eastpointe: 22480 Kelly Road; 586-872-2011
  • Ferndale: 911 E. 9 Mile Road; 248-336-4000
  • Hamtramck: 4420 E. Davison Street; 313-369-1500
  • St. Clair Shores: 28001 Harper Avenue; 586-772-7180
  • Southfield: 18591 W. 10 Mile Road; 248-621-9443
  • Southfield Telegraph: 29829 Telegraph Road; 248-970-0412
  • Royal Oak: 26300 Woodward Avenue; 855-234-9873
  • Westland: 33330 Palmer Road; 248-621-9443

For more information, go to epichs.org/focus-hope/.

Nushrat Rahman covers issues and obstacles that influence economic mobility, primarily in Detroit, for the Detroit Free Press and BridgeDetroit, as a corps member with Report for America, a national service...