Food Ministries

Poverty in Jackson is real. By working in partnerships with local churches, schools, businesses, organizations and individuals, our food ministries exist to ensure we have a hunger-free community. Because of these partnerships, we provided 366,000 pounds of food in 2019 to Jackson area residents.

Our After School Backpack ministry provided 14,685 food-filled backpacks to children identified as being at risk of going hungry over the weekend at sixteen different schools in 2019. Additionally, by joining forces with local churches, our Community Food Pantries distributed food at fourteen different sites throughout Jackson County last year, providing nourishment to 10,594 family units representing 23,655 individuals.

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Kid Care

AFTER SCHOOL BACKPACK PROGRAM

During the school year, the After-School Backpack program provides a food-filled backpack each Friday to elementary aged children identified by their school as at risk of going hungry over the weekend.

IN-SCHOOL FOOD PANTRIES

Our in-school food pantries support middle and high school aged students needing food assistance.

Community Care

COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRIES

By collaborating with local churches, food is distributed in neighborhoods allowing for basic needs to be met and relationships with individuals to be built.

FRESH FOOD INITIATIVE

The Fresh Food Initiative (FFI) distributions are an effective, efficient ways to get fresh produce into neighborhoods on a weekly basis throughout the summer.

READY TO GO FOOD BOXES

These food filled boxes are available to individuals when our community food pantries are closed.

COMMUNITY GARDEN

From seeds started in our greenhouse, our nearly 30 raised vegetable beds provide fresh produce to those in need throughout the summer.

BREAD OF LIFE

A free, homemade hot meal is served at one of our community food pantry locations

THANKSGIVING BASKETS

During the Thanksgiving holiday season, Compassionate Ministries partners with local schools, providing Thanksgiving baskets to families in need. Each basket contains a turkey, potatoes, stuffing, pumpkin pie and much more. Together we can give families in need something to be thankful for.

Volunteers are needed in a number of ways such as obtaining the food that will go into the baskets from local grocery stores, staging the food for the basket assembly, basket assembly and of course, the delivery of the baskets to the schools.

Financial donations are need as well. Each basket costs approximately $40.

Please note: Each family that receives a basket is chosen by the local school district. Schools are given a specific number of baskets determined by Compassionate Ministries. Compassionate Ministries does not participate in the process that determines family eligibility.

Events

During the Thanksgiving holiday season, Compassionate Ministries partners with local schools, providing Thanksgiving baskets to families in need. We also host a free community-wide Thanksgiving Day dinner at JaxNaz Church, located at 3905 Clinton Rd, (M-50) in Jackson. To volunteer, donate or get involved with either of these amazing events, please contact us below or call our offices at 517-395-2652.

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FREE COMMUNITY-WIDE THANKSGIVING DAY DINNER

Each Thanksgiving, Compassionate Ministries host a free community-wide Thanksgiving Day dinner at JaxNaz Church, located at 3905 Clinton Rd, (M-50) in Jackson. The dinner is from 12noon-3pm. This traditional Thanksgiving meal is provided, free of charge, to everyone in our community. We need your support to make sure no family in need goes without Thanksgiving dinner.

Food donations are accepted and needed.

“The support that Compassionate Ministries of Jackson County provides helps to ensure that our most vulnerable students have guaranteed meals over the weekends. Students who are selected look forward to the support offered by the program and families continually thank us for the assistance. There is no greater reward than seeing a student leave our building knowing that they will have food security over the weekend.”

Monica Shelton

School Counselor

Northwest Community Schools