Forgotten Harvest tells Macomb County commissioners food insecurity affects every ZIP code; committees receive presentation

Forgotten Harvest told Macomb County’s Joint Committee on Internal Services and Health and Human Services that food insecurity affects residents in every ZIP code of the county and asked commissioners to help expand partnerships and volunteer support.

Eric, Forgotten Harvest’s director of government relations, presented USDA/Census‑based food‑insecurity data, noting Michigan’s overall rate at about 13 percent and Macomb County slightly above the state average. He described food insecurity as limited or uncertain access to adequate food and noted health, education and long‑term economic impacts tied to hunger.

Eric said Forgotten Harvest rescues food from roughly 500–600 locations across the tri‑county area and redistributes it to more than 220 partner agencies. He said the organization operates a 78,000‑square‑foot facility that includes frozen, cold and dry storage, and that the organization runs a farm outside Fenton projected to produce just under 1 million pounds of produce in a season. He also described a volunteer cohort of about 67 drivers who pick up smaller local donations and deliver directly to pantries.

Commissioners thanked Forgotten Harvest and asked questions about volunteer needs, rescue partnerships with independent grocers, and data sources. Eric said the USDA Economic Research Service and Census Bureau supply ZIP‑code food‑insecurity estimates and that local partner lists were provided to commissioners in hard copy.

The committee voted 12‑0 to receive and file the presentation. Commissioners were told Forgotten Harvest staff can help residents navigate SNAP applications and that the Food Bank Council of Michigan provides a helpline and application assistance.