Meet Up and Eat Up, officially known as the Summer Food Service Program, is a free school food program that piloted this summer. The program was open to all residents with children, and distributed meals for free in Houghton and Hancock during the summer season to families with children that would normally receive meals provided by the school.

Such initiatives play a crucial role in addressing food insecurity, especially among families with children. By providing nutritious meals to those who might be struggling to afford them, these programs contribute to the overall well-being and development of children.

MICHIGAN FOOD SECURITY COUNCIL FINAL REPORT, 2022

The program is through the Michigan Department of Education and is partially funded by the federal government based on the percentage of applications received for free or reduced school lunch applications at the school. 

The meals come with milk, juice, snacks, and entrees for the week, as well as fresh fruit and produce acquired from local participating farmers: Mother Farmer, Ghost House Farm, Boersma Family Roots, North Harvest Farm, and Eden Greens.

Shelby Turnquist: Food Access Champion

In the midst of food insecurity, it’s great to have individuals like Shelby Turnquist in your corner, who are championing food access and supporting families in need by applying for and coordinating meal distribution programs.

“The program came in at the very last minute from the federal government,” said Turnquist. “I went after it. A rural feeding program gave us the opportunity to do curbside pick-up, but who knows what’s going to happen next year? The last four years, it’s been a last-minute, switch-up-the-program type of deal.”

Turnquist says she spent weeks on the phone trying to secure the program for both Hancock and Houghton schools. The program requires many types of coordination: not only jumping through hoops to qualify, but also advertising, customer correspondence, meal packing, meeting food safety requirements, acquiring volunteers, processing leftover food, and coordinating between farmers, to name a few.

“All I know is, I’m here to feed the kids,” said Turnquist.

Local farmer Nichole Boersma says the tenacity with which Turnquist approached the program is infectious.

“She is an inspiration and someone that I admire beyond words. She handles the program like the incredible boss of a woman that she is,” said Boersma. “So many families depend on her over the summer, and she is insanely humble about it.”

According to Turnquist, programs like this one executed downstate require farmers to bring in specific vegetables, while Turnquist opts to let the farmers bring in what is freshest off their fields.

“She told us to bring what we could and if something didn't move well, she would let us know. The relationship was super fluid and she definitely helped stimulate the local food economy,” said Boersma.

Turnquist and her crew distributed 600-700 meals a day this summer. The only qualification that had to be met was having a child under the age of 18. Children with special needs were also accepted up to the age of 26, provided that they were enrolled in a school. Turnquist noted that this type of qualification meets the needs of families that aren’t “well off” but don’t qualify for other types of assistance. 

The most difficult part of the program, according to Turnquist, was the time spent processing food to be frozen, leftover from people who signed up for meals but didn’t pick them up. Some weeks up to 100 people were a no-show. However, Turnquist comments that if they reached just one child who didn’t go hungry that day because of the meals, then their efforts are well worth it.

“Growing up my parents always taught us to treat all children like they're your own,” explained Turnquist. “I’ve taken that to heart. And people that worked on the program have that same heart and soul for the kids.”

Emelia Johnson, a teacher in the school district who helps pack and distribute the boxes, commented that it’s also a great way to expose local families to the flavorful bounty of fresh vegetables that our local farms have to offer.

Food insecurity is a significant issue in many communities, and efforts like Shelby Turnquist and the Meet Up and Eat Up program can make a positive impact by ensuring that children have access to essential nutrition. This, in turn, can improve their health, cognitive development, and educational outcomes.

This article is a part of a larger series on food access in the Keweenaw. If you are a food insecure Keweenaw resident in need of community resources, call 211.

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