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Community Action Agency reports FY24 service levels, senior food program shifts and federal funding uncertainty
Summary
Ottawa County Community Action Agency reported serving nearly 1,400 individuals in FY24, distributed more than 232,000 pounds of food to pantries, weatherized 46 homes, and said the senior commodity food program will shift to local pantries because of low funding; agency cautioned some federal grants remain uncertain.
Jennifer Brzonski, representing the Ottawa County Community Action Agency, told commissioners July 8 that the agency served 1,387 individuals (842 households) in fiscal year 2024 and continues multiple programs including utility assistance, weatherization and food distribution.
Brzonski said the agency distributed roughly 232,000 pounds of food to local pantries through its emergency food assistance program and that the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (senior boxes) will be transitioned to five area pantries and the Salvation Army for distribution because the agency could not sustain the direct-delivery model on the funding available. "Anybody that was already signed up for our program received a letter" with the new pantry assignments, she said. The pantries listed in meeting materials include Coopersville Cares, Harvest Stand Ministries, Jehovah Jireh Ministries (Hudsonville), Love In Action (to be overseen by the Salvation Army in Grand Haven) and the Salvation Army Holland branch.
The agency said it weatherized 46 homes in FY24 and operates fee-for-service programs such as SEMCO-funded furnace or water-heater replacements and home energy education. Brzonski described the Walk for Warmth fundraiser and said state funding (the Michigan Energy Assistance Program) provides most utility-assistance funds; she said some federal pass-through grants and the Community Services Block Grant showed uncertainty in draft federal budgets and could affect future program capacity.
Brzonski said the agency is pursuing expanded outreach across the county, noting demographics show an ALICE (asset-limited, income-constrained, employed) population and that many households facing financial hardship are located in the southwest quadrant of the county. She said staff are working to improve countywide access and that the agency will coordinate with pantries on senior delivery needs where clients lack transportation.
Commissioners asked about the pantry transition and delivery for homebound seniors; Brzonski said the food program coordinator is working to identify homebound individuals and that pantries are exploring volunteer delivery options. No formal board action was recorded; the presentation was informational.
