KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Memberships at Community Food Club, a non-profit grocery store for low income Kent County residents, have doubled in the last two years as grocery prices rise.
- Community Food Club operates on a point system where healthier foods cost fewer points.
- For a monthly fee of $13, members have access to the food club's fresh produce, meat, eggs and dairy.
- There's a waitlist for the first time in 10 years at the food club, with over 300 households already in line.
"Food is very expensive now, and so I get to choose more foods and healthier foods," said Henry Cambero, a Community Food Club member and volunteer.
WATCH: Low-income grocery option in Kent County implements waitlist amid high demand
Community Food Club offers an alternative grocery shopping experience for low-income residents in Kent County, providing access to healthy food at affordable prices.
"Some of the most expensive items at the grocery store, like meat, eggs, dairy and produce, of course, are so readily available here at the food club," said Perla Douglas, another member and employee of Community Food Club.
Cambero and Douglas are among the 2,200 households that pay a monthly fee of $13 to access the food club's services.
"You do need to be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, that's going to be about $65,000 or less," said AJ Fossel, Community Food Club executive director.
Once members pay the monthly fee, they don't need to pay for the food itself. The grocery store operates on a point system that encourages healthy eating. So the healthier the food, the lower the points.
"So a fruit or a veggie at the food club is going to be one point, while some of our processed snack items are four points," Fossel explained.
"This place saves me a lot of money on groceries, and I get to choose fresh fruits and vegetables that I normally wouldn't be choosing if I had to buy it on my own," Cambero said.
On May 1st, however, the food club had to implement a waitlist for the first time in its 10-year history. There are already 316 households waiting for membership.
"We just simply don't have the funds to be able to serve more households than the 2,200 that we're already serving right now," Fossel said. "We're serving 9,500 people a month, but we know that there are more people in Kent County who need us."
For Douglas, a single mother, Community Food Club has been, in her words, life changing. Before joining the food club, Douglas was constantly "penny-pinching." Now, she's able to put healthy food options on the table for her two young boys.
"I have two boys, six and three," Douglas said. "They eat so much. They eat like little men. So it's a tremendous help. We're very grateful."
Click here if you're a Kent County resident interested in joining Community Food Club's waitlist.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
