Assistance & Relief

While the Vicksburg District Library has no direct association with any of the following agencies, knowledge of assistance and relief during the COVID-19 pandemic has reached us and we wished to share it as a resource for our community. If you have any questions about any of these services, please contact the providers directly. Thank you.

Loaves & Fishes of Kalamazoo has announced a program to assist those 60 years of age and older in obtaining food during this health crisis.

“Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) IIIA has joined forces with Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes to streamline distribution of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box Program. On May 8, the USDA approved contracts across the country for the program, which allows local farmers and suppliers to coordinate boxes of fruits, vegetables, and dairy with food banks and Area Agency on Aging across the state. AAA IIIA will receive the first delivery this week.  

COVID-19 has created barriers, such as attaining basic needs like food, for vulnerable older adults who are at a significant risk for devastating effects of the virus. This initiative allows produce boxes to be delivered to older adults while removing that barrier and following the Stay Home, Stay Safe Executive Order. This endeavor is supported through the state of Michigan Aging & Adult Services Agency initiatives with Quarantine Boxes, and USDA produce boxes. 

Older adults age sixty and older who are home bound are encouraged to call Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes’ Call Center at 269-343-3663 (open 9am Monday – Friday until full) or email info@kzoolf.org to schedule a delivery. In addition to the perishable food items through the Farmers to Families program, additional food items will be available including bread, eggs, and non-perishable items.”

The full announcement is available for download below in both English and Spanish. For more information, you can contact Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes through their website.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Assistance

South County Community Services has received funding for providing assistance to families and individuals in our services area who have been impacted by COVID-19. This fund will be used to assist with basic needs like transportation, food, utilities, and housing. We recognize that many people are in this situation for the first time and that they may not know who to turn to. If you talk with someone in the south county area (Prairie Ronde, Schoolcraft, Brady, Climax, Wakeshma, and Pavilion townships—plus Vicksburg and Schoolcraft schools) and they need help paying their bills, getting to work, or getting food for their family, please send them to us! Even if they have applied for assistance in the past and been denied, they may be eligible now. We are doing our best to make this program accessible to everyone and need your help! Reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

About SCCS

South County Community Services (SCCS) is the only human service agency dedicated to serving the 25,000 residents who live in the southern tier of Kalamazoo County. With a mission to work with families to improve quality of life, the agency serves as the dynamic hub connecting persons at all life stages with the resources they need to manage life’s challenges and opportunities.

Volunteering

South County Community Services is currently seeking volunteers to assist with their various programs and resources as they work to serve Southwest Michigan. For more information, please visit the South County Community Services website. Applications are available for download below.

Michigan’s Futures for Frontliners

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, along with leaders in education, business, labor and workforce development, have launched the nation’s first program offering tuition-free college to an estimated 625,000 Michiganders who provided essential, frontline services during COVID-19 “Stay Home, Stay Safe” orders between April – June 2020. Futures for Frontliners, inspired by the GI Bill which provided college degree to those serving their country in WWII, offers Michigan adults without college degrees or high school diplomas who provided essential services during the COVID-19 pandemic a tuition-free pathway to gaining the skills needed to obtain high-demand, high-wage careers. The funding is not only available to those in the medical field, but also essential workers in manufacturing, nursing homes, grocery stores, sanitation, delivery, retail and more.