• Volunteers can sign up for 4-hour shifts through at DetroitMI.Gov
• Volunteers will receive assignments that will begin on Wednesday
• At 5 pm Tuesday, Mayor Duggan will announce locations and hours of operation for 100 food pantries in Detroit
   

Mayor Mike Duggan today announced a volunteer recruitment campaign to help staff up approximately 100 community food pantries in Detroit as the funding for federal SNAP food benefits remains unresolved.

People interested in volunteering can find the sign-up form on the front of the City of Detroit website at DetroitMi.Gov. The form lets volunteers sign up for one or more four-hour shifts, starting Wednesday, November 5th.

In a video posted today on his and the city’s social media, the Mayor showed the sign-up form and how it works.

On Friday, the Mayor announced he has authorized $1.75 million in emergency funds to provide additional food to local pantries.

“So far the folks in Washington haven’t solved the SNAP issue, so the City of Detroit is going to put a process in place to make sure Detroiters have access to food and that our food pantries have enough people on hand to meet an increase in volume,” said Mayor Duggan. “Just as they always do, we know Detroiters will show up.”

Duggan also pointed out that even if the Federal Government decides soon to restore SNAP benefits, it will take at least a few days for EBT cards to start to be recharged, based on the usual week of the month you had been receiving your monthly allotment.

The Mayor’s Department of Neighborhoods will be fully assigned to monitor the food pantry locations to determine if they need more volunteers or food. District Managers will be working closely with partners at the United Way, Forgotten Harvest, Gleaners Food Bank and Metro Food Rescue to coordinate volunteer efforts.

The Mayor asked Detroiters to limit their visits to food banks to the same week of the month that their SNAP benefits usually appear on their cards.

“Each week, about a quarter of Detroiters who receive their SNAP benefits have them added to their card,” the Mayor said. “If everyone sticks to that schedule, we can avoid long lines and better ensure ample food supply each week.”

Mayor Duggan said that at 5 PM on Tuesday, he will announce the list of 100 or so food distribution locations, along with their days and hours of operation, so Detroit SNAP recipients can plan in advance.

Mayor's video message on SNAP volunteer recruitment:

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