Welcome


Voices for Action is a statewide effort to reduce poverty 50% in Michigan by 2020.

Led by the Michigan Department of Human Services, the initiative has created a network of organizations including human service organizations, government agencies, local faith-based and community organizations, non-profits, and businesses.


This space is for you to share your Voices for Action stories and current information. There are three ways to share.

- Submit a post via email to: voices4action3@haltpoverty.org and we'll post it for you, be sure to include contact info

- Submit a post through blogger: Google account required; request author invite by sending an email with
name & organization information to: voices4action3@haltpoverty.org

- Comment on published posts, no login required

You can use tags to highlight themes, such as 'asset building', 'workforce development', 'food assistance', etc.


Here are current poverty statistics for Region 3:

2009 Poverty and Median Income Estimates - Counties
Name Poverty Estimate All Ages Poverty Percent All Ages Poverty Estimate Under Age 18 Poverty Percent Under Age 18 Median Household Income
Ionia 8,952 15.8 3,068 20.7 46,926
Kent 86,639 14.5 31,431 20.3 47,684
Lake 2,455 23.4 830 42.5 29,373
Mason 5,024 17.8 1,569 26.4 38,073
Mecosta 8,053 20.9 2,107 26.2 37,840
Montcalm 11,868 19.9 4,264 29.1 38,143
Muskegon 31,179 18.6 10,542 25.2 38,916
Newaygo 8,900 18.6 3,210 26.7 39,059
Oceana 5,569 20.6 2,271 33.7 37,655
Osceola 4,268 19.1 1,529 28.7 34,823
Ottawa 26,051 10.3 7,295 10.9 52,107






Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Estimates Branch
Internet Release date: December 2010



Region 3 Poverty Data by County Map


View Michigan Counties - Region 3 Poverty in a larger map

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

MI Farm to School Grant Program Grantees

Farm to school friends and partners,

With funding from the WK Kellogg Foundation, the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University will award up to $2,000 for schools/districts around the state to plan for or implement farm to school programs. We are excited to announce that EIGHT school/district applicants have been selected to participate in the first grant year!

The grantees for the new Michigan Farm to School Grant Program 2011 - 2012 grant year are:

School/District County Type of Grant
Bear Lake School District Manistee Implementation
Clare Public Schools Clare Planning
Gladwin Community School Gladwin Implementation
Kaleva Norman Dickson School District Manistee Implementation
Montrose Community Schools Genesee Implementation
Reed City Area Public Schools Osceola Planning
South Haven Public Schools Van Buren Planning
Traverse City College Preparatory Academy Grand Traverse Planning

Each grantee is unique, with exciting and innovative ideas for planning for or implementing farm to school programs. Since a goal of this grant program is to help vulnerable children find more healthy and local food choices in school meals programs, each school/district selected to participate has at least 50% free and reduced-price meal enrollment (as of application date).

This grant program is a direct way to help food service directors across the state overcome some of the many challenges they face when working to initiate and expand farm to school programs. Not only will grantees be awarded up to $2,000 dollars in funding, they will also be provided with technical assistance and training opportunities to help develop, support and enhance of their farm to school activities and programs.

From the: CS Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems
Michigan State University
via Gordie Moeller

Read about the program on mlive.

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