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Northfield Human Services (NHS), located on the edge of Washtenaw county in Northfield Township, was founded in 1985 by the late Carol Jean Odekirck. At the time, she was stationed at the Northfield Senior Services Center, which is now known as Northfield Community Center. Carol began the nonprofit by send-ing out flyers to members of Northfield community to convey the need in her community to those in a finan-cial position to help. At the time, the nonprofit was sole-ly funded by donations so Carol never received finan-cial payment for her services. Her sole reward was the love and respect of her community. Carol’s efforts were not in vain and she quickly progressed from serving 10 clients at the beginning to serving 50 clients in two years. In 1989, she implemented many programs such as Adopt-A-Family, Toys for Tots, backpacks for school, food drives with the postal services, and provid-ed holiday meals which are all programs that have con-tinued to this day.

Nowadays, NHS also offers assistance with job searches, résumés, SNAP applications, and healthcare coverage. Andrew Bishop, the Food Pantry and Pro-gram Coordinator at Northfield Human Services, has been trained by DHS to assist his clients and others from surrounding areas in applying for government as-sistance programs . In addition to all the amazing ser-vices that Northfield offers, they have a weekly food pantry that is open to residents of Northfield Township and Whitmore Lake School District and is open on Mondays and Tuesdays from 11:00am- 5:00pm. The pantry is located off of Main Street in Whitmore Lake on Jennings Road. NHS has 3 vans as well which ena-bles them to take food to any home bound clients weekly and to take clients to and from the food pantry. They will even take clients to medical appointments or farmer’s markets as needed within Northfield Town-ship. With all the incredible services that Northfield Hu-man Services offers their clients, Food Gatherers is proud to call them a partner program.

Celebrating Food Gatherers’ Partner Programs

Jan

uary

20

15

Andrew Bishop (second from the left in blue) at Northfield Human Services with some helpful volunteers.

PARTNER PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

Introducing Northfield Human Services

Lunchtime Chat with Andrew Bishop Tell me how you first got involved with Northfield Human Services. I am originally from Chattanooga, TN and I moved to Michigan to start an ECED (Early Childhood Education) program to become a K-6th grade teacher. In 2011, I started to volunteer at Northfield Human Services to help my community. I volunteered for six months and then a position opened up and now I continue to work for North-field Human Services. What is your advice to an agency who is just starting to help their clients with SNAP assistance? Study, learn, and ask questions. There are no stupid questions. It is an ever changing system, including the types of programs available and how to apply for those available programs. For example, the website is always changing. Just a few days ago I was helping a client ap-ply online and the page to upload documents requested by DHS was completely different. Also remember to put yourself in your client’s position. It is embarrassing to ask for help and this is a hard to bar-rier to break. Each and every client has a different case and a different story. Everyone is unique in their own way. If you could change one thing about how society supports those in need, what would it be?

I believe that the people who are well off need to take their shoes off and put their feet into the shoes of someone in poverty to see how they are really struggling. Then they should ask themselves, “Would I ask for help?” and “What would I do?” If all people that have money understood what it is like to be in poverty they would help.

The 7th Annual Home Grown Local Food Summit is coming up! Volun-teer organizers are planning a conference style gathering around the theme of building a food system we love! Please save the date for this year’s Summit, which will take place on Sunday, February 15, 2015 on the University of Michigan campus. The Summit will focus on sharing cultures, perspectives, and experi-ences to unite participants around creating a food system that we love. Food Love reflects our desire to nourish and cherish our bodies and our minds to grow a healthy, fair, and innovative food system together.

INVENTORY SPOTLIGHT

Beans, beans, beans! Today, we are featuring dried pinto beans, a Food Gatherers staff favorite! Here are some reasons why beans are so awesome. We hope you share these tips and tricks with your clients! Pros to Being a Pinto Bean Lover: Beans are LOADED with fiber, which helps to reduce the amount of “bad” cholesterol in your body. They are a great source of protein! 1/2 cup of pinto beans contains 7.7 grams of protein Regularly eating legumes helps you maintain a healthy body weight! Tips for Prepping and Cooking with Dried Pinto Beans: Either soak the dried beans overnight or put them in a pot, cover them with five inches

of water, bring them to a boil, turn off the heat, and leave them sitting in hot water, cov-ered, for an hour. Then drain the beans and cover them with new water.

Add pinto beans to vegetable soup, stew, salad, and chili recipes. Replace your traditional potato or rice side dishes with warmed pinto beans. Add chopped onions and dried herbs to the beans to enhance their flavor.

Packaging: 24/16 oz Price/Case: $14.12 Category: Purchased Food Reference Number: 700110

FOOD ADVOCACY WATCH

Please visit the web-site, http://localfoodsummit.org/, to register as well as for information about scholarships. We look forward to seeing you at the Summit!

WHERE CAN YOU REFER CLIENTS

TO?

Washtenaw Health Plan Michael Randall (734)544-2971 555 Towner St. Ypsilanti, MI 48198 randallm@ewashtenaw.org

Northfield Human Services Andrew Bishop (734) 449-0110 10 Jennings Rd Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 andrewbishop266@gmail.com Faith in Action Nancy Paul 734-475-3305 603 South Main Street Chelsea, MI 48118 Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS) 1-855-275-6424 Washtenaw County DHS 22 Center St. Ypsilanti, MI 48198 www.mibridges.michigan.gov

Increase your clients’ food access Increase a client’s ability to have a nutritionally balanced diet Provides extra support and moves people toward self-sufficiency While applying for SNAP, clients may find they are eligible for other

benefits such as help with baby items through WIC, help with utility bills, insurance coverage, and more!

SNAP can be used at local stores and farmers markets so that clients can choose the best products for themselves!

Please contact Erin Freeman at Food Gatherers if your program offers SNAP assistance to clients and you would like to be featured in our next newsletter or if you have questions/concerns regarding SNAP.

(734) 761-2796 erin@foodgatherers.org

Tips for CLIENTS when applying for SNAP: Use Internet Explorer Use the practice page if you are

not comfortable with computers Be timely and up to date! If ma-

terials turned in are not current, the application will be denied. For example, turning in bank statements or employment checks that are months old.

Always be available for phone interviews

If undocumented you will not qualify, but children or other household members who are a citizen or qualified alien can still receive SNAP

You do not need to have proof of address if you are homeless

Keep all correspondence you get from DHS for your record and be sure to call or check online for updates to your appli-cation.

DHS is required to provide you with an interpreter if you do not speak English and your case-worker does not speak your lan-guage.

Tips for AGENCIES during the application process: Ask clients during your intake process if they need food assistance, health insurance, etc. Refer them to community resources for help with their application and

advocacy for approval Provide education from the “tips for clients” section Provide phone access to clients if possible for scheduled phone inter-

views with DHS Provide computer access, use of a scanner or help sending documents requested by DHS Provide help navigating the MI Bridges website Provide bus route maps/booklets if clients need to go to Washtenaw County DHS Empower clients to contact DHS with questions, concerns or inquiry Visit foodgatherers.org/SNAP to download a SNAP 101 flyer for your clients.

ALL ABOUT SNAP!

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is formerly known as “The Food Stamp Program” and offers

food assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families.

WHY SHOULD YOU REFER CLIENTS TO SNAP?

1 Carrot Way Ann Arbor, MI, 48105

www.foodgatherers.org P: 734-761-2796

E: info@foodgatherers.org

Made with love by the Community Food Programs Department Markell Miller, Manager of Community Food Programs Department, markell@foodgatherers.org. Please con-tact Markell for any issues regarding your food bank orders, delivery profile, billing, new program inquiries, and any concerns or program challenges. Diana Beltran, Meal Program VISTA, diana@foodgatherers.org. Please contact Diana with questions regard-ing site visits and pantry shopping. Erin Freeman, Food Access VISTA, erin@foodgatherers.org. Please contact Erin with questions regarding Food Gatherers’ website edits, Webwindow photos, recall emails, and SNAP outreach. Kristie Khatibi, Food Access VISTA, kristie@foodgatherers.org. Please contact Kristie with questions regard-ing the Healthy School Pantry Program, Gatherings, FG’s Hunger Referral Guide, and pantry shopping.