Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A funding boost has been approved for a local non-profit that helps feed those in need.

The Livingston County Board of Commissioners met Monday night and approved allocating $20,000 to support Bountiful Harvest for its “Feeding the Needy of Livingston County” project for students and their families.

Bountiful Harvest helps those in need by providing groceries twice a month, as well as hot meals Tuesday through Saturday. It also provides seven days of lunch boxes to children in need who are being home-schooled as well as some who are in school but can’t afford the daily fee for the lunch program. During the summer, the non-profit provides lunch boxes to any children who are on a school’s free or reduced lunch program.

Bountiful Harvest currently feeds around 500 families a month and is 100% volunteer-run. It distributes between 40,000 and 50,000 pounds of food monthly, which is said to be increasing weekly as more clients are being added.

The County’s allocation is coming from ARPA funds, which is pandemic-related funding from the federal government, and it is an eligible use.

Commissioner Jay Gross told the board there was considerable discussion on the topic by the Finance and Asset Management or FAM Committee. He stated he initially made a motion to increase the amount but subsequently withdrew it pending a review of the status of the County’s APRA funding. That review is not quite finished but Gross said it looks as though there are some funds available so at some point in the future, he’ll be back before the board seeking to give the non-profit some additional funds.

The approved resolution states the non-profit will be required to provide written status updates on the project every three months and also present, in person, to the Finance and Asset Management Committee every six months until the project is completed.