Tidbits
Tidbits is a monthly senior food program publication that contains features like healthy eating tips, recipes, and information about food distributions.
To see when the next distribution near you will be, head over to our Seniors page.
 This month's featured commodity is canned carrots 
Eating Right When Money is Tight
Food costs are on the rise. Read on for tips on how to stretch your food dollars by planning ahead, budgeting, making smart food choices, and preparing low-cost recipes. BEFORE Shopping
Reprinted in part from the USDA. Learn more in this month's Tidbits Newsletter.
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 August's featured commodity is canned salmon
Center for Disease Control: About Cloth Face Coverings
COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or raises their voice (e.g., while shouting, chanting, or singing). These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Recent studies show that a significant portion of individuals with COVID-19 lack symptoms (are “asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (are “presymptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. Cloth face coverings may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others. Wearing a cloth face covering will help protect people around you, including those at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 and workers who frequently come into close contact with other people (e.g., in stores and restaurants). Cloth face coverings are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings. The spread of COVID-19 can be reduced when cloth face coverings are used along with other preventive measures, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces. Reprinted in part from cdc.gov. For more information visit cdc.gov. This content is not a substitute for medical advice from a licensed practitioner. Please consult with your physician to see if the advice in this article is appropriate for you. Learn more in this month's edition of Tidbits.  July's featured commodity is rice!
Senior Project FRESH The Senior Project FRESH/Market FRESH program is aimed at helping older adults eat healthier as they age. The program provides participants free nutrition counseling and $20 in coupons that can be exchanged for fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods sold at local farmers markets and roadside stands. Residents who are age 60 or older with a total household income of $22,459 or less for an individual or $30,451 for a couple are eligible to apply for the program. Applicants must live in a county participating in the program. If you think you are eligible and would like to participate in the program, please locate your lead agency here. Commodity Food Program Updates
We hope this newsletter finds everyone safe and in good health. There have been many changes in our lives the last few months, and we thank you for your patience while we determine what our new normal looks like at commodity food distributions. We want to share a few important updates with you: Robocalls—starting in July, robocalls will originate from a new phone number: 989-386-6849. If you return a call to this line, you will reach a recorded message that provides distribution dates for the current month. Read more in this month's edition of Tidbits.  June's featured commodity is nonfat dry instant milk
Getting Enough Fluids
It’s important for your body to have plenty of fluids each day. Water helps you digest your food, absorb nutrients from food, and then get rid of the unused waste. Water is found in foods—both solids and liquids, as well as in its natural state. With age, you might lose some of your sense of thirst. To further complicate matters, some medicines might make it even more important to have plenty of fluids. Remember, water is a good way to add fluids to your daily routine without adding calories. Read more in the month's edition of Tidbits!  April's featured commodity is tomato juice
We are changing the food distribution procedures to practice social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak. We remain committed to distributing food and addressing hunger, but we will be modifying our procedures based on public health recommendations.
Distributions will be modified to eliminate large gatherings and reduce social contact. Please note that these modifications are subject to change as new information becomes available.
If you pick your food up at a public distribution:
Private site distributions will also continue. We will modify our procedures for each unique setting. Learn more in this month's edition of Tidbits (link above)  March's featured commodity is oats!
Protect Your Family from Food Poisoning
Food poisoning (or foodborne illness) happens when you get sick from eating or drinking something that has harmful germs in it–like bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Some common causes of food poisoning are norovirus, Campylobacter, E. coli and Salmonella. Following good habits like these can help protect you and your family from food poisoning:
Reprinted in part from https://www.healthfinder.gov. This content is not a substitute for medical advice from a licensed practitioner. Please consult your physician to see if the advice in this article is appropriate for you. Learn more in the month's edition of Tidbits (file link above)  February's featured commodity is dry milk!
Why Nutrition Matters For You
Good nutrition is important throughout your life! It can help you feel your best and stay strong. It can help reduce the risk of some diseases that are common among older adults. And, if you already have certain health issues, good nutrition can help you manage the symptoms. Nutrition can sometimes seem complicated. But the good news is that the Food and Drug Administration has a simple tool to help you know exactly what you’re eating.It’s called the Nutrition Facts Label. You will find it on all packaged foods and beverages. It serves as your guide for making choices that can affect your long-term health. Reprinted in part from https://www.fda.gov. This content is not a substitute for medical advice from a licensed practitioner. Please consult your physician to see if the advice in this article is appropriate for you. Read more in the month's issue of Tidbits (link above)  January's featured commodity is rolled oats!
Celebrate National Blood Donor Month this January and Help Save a Life
Blood donations typically drop off during and immediately after the winter holidays, which makes National Blood Donor Month in January a critical time for the American Red Cross. Busy schedules, holiday breaks from school, inclement weather and winter illnesses contribute to fewer blood and platelet donations. Since December, severe winter weather has forced the Red Cross to cancel dozens of blood drives, leaving hundreds of donations uncollected. This poses quite a challenge since the need for blood doesn’t take a holiday nor diminish because a snowstorm hits. Eligible blood and platelet donors are urged to schedule a donation today by using the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767). Help even more people by inviting your sister, daughter or other family members, friends and colleagues to donate too. Reprinted in part from https://www.redcross.org. This content is not a substitute for medical advice from a licensed practitioner. Please consult with your physician to see if the advice in this article is appropriate for you. Learn more in this month's edition of Tidbits (link above)  December's featured commodity is American cheese!
A Special Winter Announcement
As cold winter weather settles in, we all look forward to cozy evenings with family and friends. With that also comes awareness that cold weather can be dangerous. We sincerely want winter commodity distributions to be as safe as possible for everyone. To that end I’d like to share a few thoughts: We strongly encourage you to arrive for your distribution at the scheduled start time. We stay at every site until all customers who arrived during the scheduled distribution time have been served. Lining up before a distribution starts is not necessary, and more importantly, is potentially dangerous in this cold weather. Our truck crew is dedicated and works hard to get food out, even when the weather is bad. If we must cancel a distribution, we work to get the word out in several ways. Cancellations will be posted on our Facebook and local TV stations. If you receive reminder robocalls, you will also receive a call notifying you of cancellation. We will announce the day and time for a make-up distribution as soon as possible. If you feel that it is not safe to travel for a distribution, please contact us at 989-386-3805 for other options. We may be able to serve you at a different public distribution or at our Clare Warehouse. Read more in this month's edition of Tidbits (link above)  November's featured commodity is green beans!
Newsletter Excerpt: Diabetes "Superfoods"
“Superfood” is a term used by many food and beverage companies as a way to promote a food thought to have health benefits; however, there is no official definition of the word by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA regulates the health claims allowed on food labels to ensure there is scientific research to support the claims. The list of foods below are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber that are good for overall health and may also help prevent disease. Beans: Kidney, pinto, navy, or black beans are packed with vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. They are very high in fiber too. Beans do contain carbohydrates, but ½ cup also provides as much protein as an ounce of meat without the saturated fat. To read the rest of the "Diabetes Superfoods" list, visit https://www.diabetes.org. The information contained in this article is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Consultation with your doctor or health care professional is recommended. Find out more in this month's Tidbits (link above). |
Questions? Give us a call!Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Mecosta, Midland, and Osceola County Residents: 989-386-3805 Reminder CallsMonthly customers will receive an automated call the day before distribution reminding them to pick up their box. Archives
September 2020
Please recycle commodity boxesIn the interest of public health, please recycle your commodity boxes. We are currently unable to accept returned boxes. An announcement will be made when we are able to resume box return. Non-discrimination policyIn accordance with Federal Civil Rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Civil Rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior credible activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. |
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Locations
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CLARE COUNTY
Administrative Office 1574 E Washington Road PO Box 768 Farwell, MI 48622 Phone 989-386-3805 Toll-Free 1-877-213-5948 Fax 989-386-3277 contactus@mmcaa.org FOOD WAREHOUSE 2300 E Ludington Drive Clare, MI 48617 contactus@mmcaa.org WIC CLINIC 337 Lemke Street Midland, MI 48642 Phone 989-832-7310 Toll-Free 1-877-210-3169 WIC@mmcaa.org contactus@mmcaa.org |
BAY COUNTY
111 South Washington Avenue Bay City, MI 48708 Phone: 989-894-9060 contactus@mmcaa.org GLADWIN COUNTY 1302 Chatterton Street Gladwin, MI 48624 Phone: 989-426-2801 contactus@mmcaa.org MIDLAND COUNTY 1409 Washington Street Midland, MI 48640 Phone: 989-832-7377 contactus@mmcaa.org |
MECOSTA COUNTY
14330 Northland Drive Big Rapids MI 49307 Phone: 231-660-0271 contactus@mmcaa.org OSCEOLA COUNTY 240 E Church Street Reed City, MI 49677 Phone: 231-791-7078 contactus@mmcaa.org MUSKEGON COUNTY Phone: 231-557-7622 contactus@mmcaa.org OCEANA COUNTY Phone: 231-557-7622 contactus@mmcaa.org |