News & Stories
Ensuring Access to Healthy Food for Local Seniors
Photo credit: Kalkaska Commission on Aging
Image description: Two Meals on Wheels volunteers stand beside white SUVs in a parking lot on a sunny day.
A part of the community since 1978, the Kalkaska Commission on Aging (COA) proudly serves senior citizens by providing vital services and programs, including wellness checks, medical transportation, Meals on Wheels, and more. We have had the opportunity to support the COA through various funds since 1999, and in 2025, the Kalkaska COA received one of our Quick Response Grants.
The Quick Response Grant supported the Kalkaska COA’s Senior Produce Program, an alternative to the state-funded Senior Project Fresh Program, which was undergoing an overhaul that seniors felt uncertain about. Many seniors found the revised State of Michigan program disorganized and unreliable, leaving them uninterested in participating. As a result, the Kalkaska COA took action.
“A few of the COAs in the area decided to put together our own Senior Produce Program, set up similarly to the State of Michigan’s program in previous years,” said Jodi Magee, Kalkaska COA Director. “Our Senior Produce Program allows seniors to complete an application to receive a coupon booklet valued at $25 and use those coupons at local fruit markets or stands for Michigan-made produce.”
Kalkaska COA used its grant to support local farmers who provide produce to the farm markets for the COA program. Coupons were given to 100 seniors in Kalkaska County last year to be spent at local farm markets and produce stands.
“The Community Foundation has a solid understanding of the needs of Northern Michigan,” said Jodi. “We would not have been able to help the seniors with their produce needs on such a quick turnaround this past year without the assistance of the Quick Response Grant.”
Our Quick Response Grants are awarded to organizations facing unexpected needs that fall outside of their normal budget. Such funding is a prime example of how quickly and effectively our grants can make a difference in local communities.
“We built it into our 2026 budget to continue the Senior Produce Program, but in 2025, many of our seniors would have lost out on a valuable program that helped them get fresh produce had we not had the funds,” said Jodi.
A small grant has the power to make a world of difference in our communities, and the ability to act quickly ensures quality programs persist and community members continue to receive the support they need.
Writer: Alex Dailey