BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- Berrien Community Foundation (BCF) has received a $140K Collaborative Capacity Building Grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to move forward a community-driven effort to improve health through better access to nutritious food across Berrien County and Southwest Michigan.

This funding will support the planning and development of a community nutrition hub designed to better connect food, health and local systems so that more residents can reliably access the kinds of foods that support their well-being. Across Southwest Michigan, many families are struggling with food access and suffering from chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. At the same time, healthcare providers are increasingly recognizing that food plays a powerful role in preventing and managing these conditions. Essential to this work is Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan, serving as the anchor agency for the community nutrition hub and building on its longstanding leadership in nutrition services and community-based care.

“This grant is about more than asking questions,” said Lisa Cripps-Downey, president of Berrien Community Foundation. “We have an opportunity to build something lasting, something that makes it easier for people to access healthy food in ways that truly support their health.”

A defining feature of this initiative is the development of a farm-to-healthcare pipeline, a model that is especially meaningful in Southwest Michigan, where a strong agricultural community is a natural fit to help address real challenges in food access and health. This approach creates a path that leads from local farms to the community members whose health can be improved by the addition of healthier food options. Ensuring that fresh, locally sourced ingredients are reaching the people who need them most.

For information about BCF, call (269) 983-3304 or visit www.berriencommunity.org.