MARTIN, Mich. — An Allegan County group is now helping people affected by the coronavirus by providing free food, clothes and appliances.
"Martin is a very small community, you kind of traverse the four corners and you can`t help but drive by us," said Amanda Shumaker, executive director of the Martin Area Resource Center.
She's been with the organization now for eight years.
"The Center has been around 30 some-odd years, but this year with COVID, we are doing things a little differently," she said.
The group started with church members making relief trips to Haiti. On average, more than 2,000 pounds of food is given away every day. But now, because of the coronavirus, it's clientele is changing.
Many people need help and some families are still waiting on their stimulus checks and unemployment payments.
'We have eggs, potatoes, onions, we got canned goods over there, beans and peas, cereal, chicken fritters, who doesn`t want chicken fritters?" said Shumaker.
The food is set out in a wagon at 1445 10th Street in Martin and it's gone fairly quickly. Some of it is grown and sourced right on site. The rest is surplus from other shelters and churches.
"We've had people from Holland, people from Kalamazoo, Otsego, and anyone that happens to be in the area," she says.
So whether you live in town or just passing through, the center is always ready to help.
"It means a lot to us to give back to the community, this is a great community."
The center offers the food up every week at different times.
For more information, search the Martin Area Resource Center on Facebook.
