Calhoun County Senior Services specialist Chelsi Sheerer began working on the map as a county intern and continued as an employee. She said her research showed that many food providers communicated and operated in isolation. “We identified that a lot of the food resources are very siloed with how they communicate, coordinate and collaborate with each other,” Sheerer said. “One of the main things we wanted to accomplish with this map is to highlight those food resources and what’s available … but also use it as an opportunity to enhance communication, cooperation and coordination with the food network.”

Luann Sommers, executive director of the Forks Senior Center in Albion, shared the map on the center’s Facebook page as soon as she learned it was available. She said the map complements Michigan 211, a free, confidential, 24-hour service that connects residents with local health and human services, including food and housing assistance.

“I think some older adults might not be calling 211,” Sommers said. “They might be going to the senior center’s Facebook page, checking activities and that kind of stuff. I don’t think you can educate people enough about the resources that are out there. It’s just another way of getting the word out, and there are a tremendous amount of food resources out there. It’s kind of cool to have it all on a map.”

Because the project is new, some food providers were not yet aware of it. Ruth Ann Holmes, outreach director at United Methodist Church and director of There Is Enough, a free store serv serving Marshall and Albion, learned about the map during an interview for this story. She said it could help people, especially older adults, find resources close to home when transportation or scheduling is a barrier. During the church’s monthly food distribution, she sees people pick up food boxes for as many as 10 families or individuals.

“It’s very difficult for folks to get out and about when they don’t have their license anymore and they are not supposed to drive,” Holmes said. “That takes a lot away from an individual. And so, even if there is just a phone number on the map, we can call somebody for what they need so we can help provide it.”

Holmes said the map also could help community partners spread the word and expand its contact list. After reviewing the map, she found that her church’s resources were not listed and said she wanted to correct that by sharing it with others. “This is also information I would take to somebody I am visiting as a new partner,” she said.

Holmes said she was pleased that the map includes more than food distribution sites, with farmers markets and community dinners also listed. She plans to make sure her church’s dinners are added. “We have community dinners, which are the second Wednesday of the month, and we provide a homemade meal from 5 to 6:30 p.m. that is dine-in or takeout,” she said.

Identifying resources and connections among partners is important for sustaining programs and planning outreach in underserved communities. Sheerer said collaboration also can affect funding opportunities. “A lot of times, food programs rely on federal funding or grant dollars, and really what organizations that provide grant dollars are looking for or focusing on is collaboration,” she said. “That is especially true for food-is-medicine programs, where they are trying to do prescriptions for food boxes for patients to lower the risk of high blood pressure or high blood sugar levels. I think that is going to play an important role for those in the food network, helping them identify how they can collaborate better as a means of receiving funds from private sectors or wherever they may need to receive their grant dollars.”

Plans are in place to maintain and update the Calhoun County Food Resources Map. Sheerer said Calhoun County Senior Services will take over operation of the map after the grant ends in August 2027. The site shows when information was last updated and opens with a screen providing definitions, she said. Residents can use contact information on the site for assistance or contact Sheerer at Calhoun County Senior Services. She can help directly or refer them to the appropriate county employee or local community health worker.