Author: Susan Conklin

In light of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 situation, we will be taking various precautions at the pantry, and implementing strategies to deal with this health crisis. We aren’t closing at this point: we will continue to give food to our shopper families, many of whom will be in even greater need than usual. We will, however, alter our procedures to help keep everyone safe. In an effort to promote “social distancing”, we will not be “open” as usual. Instead, we will be distributing pre-assembled food boxes to families directly to their vehicles. We have given our volunteers the following guidelines: If you aren’t feeling well, please stay home. If you’re just returning from spending time in a more affected area, or have […]

The volunteers of Good Neighbors Food Pantry wish all a Happy New Year as we look forward to continuing the work of feeding families in need. Thanks to generous support from our caring community, we are able to serve an average of 60 families per week. That represents an average of more than 200 people, including 72 children, who benefit from receiving food each week. Through our work, we have seen first hand that not all of our community members have been able to benefit from the economic recovery of recent years. According to a 2019 United Way report, 37 percent of Charlevoix County households have trouble covering all the basic necessities, like rent and utilities, transportation, medical care, and […]

The Monday crew     The gardens Volunteers!   Turkey Fundraiser   Lexamar’s food drive gets delivered   Eddie Essay Christmas bags lined up and ready to go Our new aprons, in loving memory of Marilyn Rhadigan

Thanks to Maricka Drennan, the pantry received $100 from the Boyne City Kiwanis Club’s Eddie Essay Contest! Maricka chose to write about Good Neighbors Food Pantry. The awards ceremony and breakfast was Dec. 5. Pictured below is Maricka with her award plaque, along with Good Neighbors board members Kathy Anderson and Susan Conklin. Click here to read the essay.  

Our cooking classes last fall were a big success! We received a grant from the Hestia Women’s Giving Circle to hold two One-Pot Skillet Meal classes. Judi Marlin, nutritionist with the Health Department, offered key points on nutrition and how to incorporate more vegetables in family meals, demonstrated knife skills, and prepared “Hash in the Pan.” Participants sampled the hash and prepared the ingredients to take home. They also each took home an electric skillet, a knife set, measuring cups, utensils, a refrigerator thermometer, and a notebook with recipes and information about cooking and nutrition. Feedback from participants was very positive!         We also hosted two additional cooking classes offered by The Manna Food Project: a crock […]

We are so grateful for the support of the Doll-Loesel Foundation, which helps us purchase much-needed protein, personal care items, and other items as needed.

Good Neighbors is committed to providing healthy food to those in need in our community. We thank everyone who generously supports us in our efforts, and we are honored to be of service to those who come through our doors. Numbers don’t do justice to the whole picture, but they demonstrate the need in our community, and help explain how we spend the donations we are entrusted with: In 2018 Good Neighbors served an average of 60 families per week, representing 216 people Total numbers for the year: 3,084 families; 11,212 people, including 3,905 children and 1,467 seniors Average household size: 3.6 We gave 158 Thanksgiving boxes and 76 Christmas boxes We served 280 unique families In 2018 Charlevoix County […]

Our beautiful new sign was installed by The Wood Shop last winter. It is eye-catching and visible from the road, helping people find us.

Red Mesa is doing a benefit for us! On March 7 from 4-10 p.m., they will donate 10% of their proceeds to Good Neighbors! Join us, and bring friends!

The chase is on! Let’s catch 100 Turkeys for Thanksgiving and give them to those in need at the Good Neighbors Food Pantry of Boyne City! Stop by Pat O’Brien Real Estate during the Harvest Festival on Saturday, September 30 (or any time between now and then) and give a donation of $15 for the purchase of a Thanksgiving turkey. There are 100 turkeys on the wall just waiting to be bagged and that’s no Gobbledygook! Let’s move these beautiful beasts from the wild to a neighbor’s dinner table. With your help, the Good Neighbors Food Pantry will have enough turkeys to supply all those who shop at the pantry with a Thanksgiving turkey. Neighbors helping Neighbors, that’s Boyne City.