These are tough and stressful times. The local, statewide and national situations are changing daily. The following is a list of local resources if you need help or if you are able to help others at this time.
Help comes in all shapes and sizes, so consider helping an elderly neighbor with grocery pickup or calling your favorite local restaurant for takeout. If you want to help, but don’t know how, ask a local community leader.
This will be a fluid list with additional resources added as they become available.
Resources if you need help:
Great Lakes Bay Region Health Information + more
The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance has developed a website for local resources here. Information will continue to be added as updates are available.
Isabella Community Soup Kitchen
More information about Isabella Community Soup Kitchen can be found here.
Dow Bay Area YMCA Free Youth Food Program
The Dow Bay Area YMCA will continue its Free Youth Food Program by distributing food from the YMCA’s North Parking Lot to youth ages 18 years old and younger at the times specified here.
Midland’s Open Door
Starting March 17, Open Door is open for grab-and-go hot lunch only in order to keep guests, volunteers and staff healthy and limit the amount of contact. Expanded hours are in effect until further notice, with hot lunch available for takeout from 11:30 am – 1:30pm each day.
Saginaw East Side Soup Kitchen
More information about Saginaw’s East Side Soup Kitchen can be found here. Hours are Monday through Friday, 11:00am-11:20am and 11:50-12:20pm.
211 Resources for food
For resources in your area visit https://www.mi211.org/get-help/food. You can also dial 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898211 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for fast, free, confidential help.
Public Schools & Food Service
Midland Public Schools Food Service Schedule and pickup information here.
Meridian Public Schools will be starting food service options for pickup on Thursday, March 19. More information can be found here. All people picking up meals need to first fill out the following form.
Bay City Public Schools meals, beginning Wednesday, March 18. Schedule and information for Bay City Public Schools here.
Essexville-Hampton Public Schools providing food pick-up. Information here.
Saginaw Public Schools Breakfast & Lunch Distribution here.
Mount Pleasant Public Schools breakfast and lunch delivery schedule here.
Pinconning Area Schools offering food services during the K-12 shutdown. Information here.
Free Wifi
Charter offering free Spectrum Broadband and WiFi for 60 days for students:
More information can be found here.
Resources available if you are able to help others:
Local Community Response Funds
The Bay Area Community Foundation COVID-19 Community Response Funds for Bay and Arenac counties:
Administered by the Bay Area Community Foundation, the COVID-19 Community Response Funds for Bay and Arenac counties will provide flexible resources to organizations in the area working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus and the economic consequences of this outbreak. More information here.
The Midland County COVID-19 Response / Disaster Relief Fund
The mission of Midland County COVID-19 Response / Disaster Relief Fund is to provide for response both short and long term in Midland County as needed in consultation with the Midland County COVID-19 Coalition. More information here.???????
Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation COVID-19 Community Response Fund:
Administered by the Mt. Pleasant Area Community Foundation, the COVID-19 Community Response Fund for Isabella County will provide flexible resources to organizations in our area working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and the economic impact of this outbreak. More information here.
United Way of Gratiot and Isabella Counties COVID-19 Community Response Fund:
United Way of Gratiot & Isabella Counties and several partners are committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable individuals and families have the support they need to weather both the short and long-term impacts of the coronavirus outbreak and offering emergency relief to families and individuals in need. More information here.
The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance
The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance has comprised an extensive list of local establishments selling gift cards online, as small businesses will be impacted by current actions being taken. Those that are able are encouraged to purchase gift cards to support small business as a way to help stabilize their revenue stream. A list of small businesses and restaurants in the Great Lakes Bay Region offering online gift cards can be found here.
United Way of Midland County volunteer opportunities:
For volunteer information with United Way in Midland, see here.
United Way of Bay County volunteer opportunities:
For volunteer information with United Way of Bay County, see here.
Donations for Midland’s Open Door
Midland’s Open Door in need of volunteers and supplies. With COVID-19, kids are out of school and people are more likely to be off work, and thus meal numbers have significantly risen. Open Door is currently running low on volunteers and supplies. If you are healthy and available to serve, the organization could use extra help. With the increase in numbers, they need the following items to continue to provide food for the community:
• Paper coffee cups
• Sandwich storage bags
• Paper Lunch bags
• Latex gloves (M,L.XL)
• Wrapped disposable utensils with napkins
• Snack-size storage bags
• Individual packets of salad dressing-Ranch, Italian or French
• Individual packets of coffee creamer
• Individual packets of sugar
• Individual packets of mayo
• Fresh fruit-oranges & bananas
• Gordon Food Service gift cards
Free Educational and Online Learning Opportunities
The Great Lakes Bay Regional Alliance has comprised a list of several virtual learning opportunities as children are out of school for the coming weeks. Find their list of resources here.
Midland Center for the Arts: #MakeArtVirtual
In response to limiting group involvement, Midland Center for the Arts invites you to join their virtual community using the hashtag #MakeArtVirtual. As we all continue to practice Social Distancing, we can still be modern day explorers, with new ideas and scientific innovations.
Join the Center at 2pm on weekdays for fun activities and LIVE video content. More information can be found here.
Alphabetical list of companies offering free online subscriptions during school closings:
More companies and free resources can be found online here.