Cook Plant Foundation Makes $200,000 Investment in Fighting Hunger and Supporting Local Farmers

A $200,000 grant from The Cook Plant Foundation will fund the launch of the Nutrition Exchange of Southwest Michigan, a new initiative that links hunger relief organizations to local agriculture. Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan is the grant recipient and a lead partner in the project. 

The Nutrition Exchange is a county-wide network of food pantries, senior meal sites, and home-delivered meal programs working together to provide fresh, locally grown food to families, children, and seniors in need. By purchasing directly from local farmers, the Exchange will ensure access to healthier foods at these network sites while strengthening the economic resilience of the region’s growers.

“This is an opportunity to address hunger in a way that also strengthens our farming community,” said Kelly Ferneau, American Electric Power’s Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear officer at the Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman. “At Cook, we have a heart and a history of providing help for hunger relief in our community. We are very proud to support this new initiative that helps families put fresh, healthy, locally grown foods on the table while honoring the hard work of local farmers.”

Hunger is widespread in Berrien County, where one in six adults and one in five children live in households that don’t always know where their next meal will come from.

“As an organization on the front lines of senior nutrition, we know how powerful it is when fresh, local produce reaches the people who need it most,” said Linda Tinsley, Executive Director of Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan. “This investment allows us to create the structure for pantries, meal sites, and home-delivered meal programs to work together, making healthy food more accessible for our neighbors while supporting the local farmers who make it possible.”

The Nutrition Exchange pilot project falls under the umbrella of the Southwest Michigan Food is Health Collaborative, convened by the Berrien Community Foundation (BCF). Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan is serving as the lead partner, with BCF and the Collaborative providing administrative support, technical assistance, and coordination. The Collaborative is a county-wide coalition of cross-sector partners — including healthcare providers, nonprofits, farmers, and community leaders — working together to build a food-health ecosystem that centers local agriculture as the foundation for community wellness.

“This project is about more than food — it’s about dignity and health,” said Lisa Cripps-Downey, President of the Berrien Community Foundation. “The Nutrition Exchange is a hyper-local solution that connects neighbors and farmers to reduce hunger and improve health across our county. Thanks to the Cook Plant Foundation’s leadership, we can take meaningful steps forward together.”

Dr. Sarah Gendernalik, principal of SBG Health Strategies and strategic coordinator of the Collaborative, emphasized the close connection between food insecurity and health. “Too often, the most available and affordable foods are highly processed — cheap, convenient, and everywhere. They may fill bellies, but they also fuel problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The Nutrition Exchange will help pantries and senior meal programs source nutrient-dense options for their guests, while building the systems needed to bring healthier foods into more community spaces. Our vision is for fresh, local foods to be the first and easiest choice on every table — nourishing families and strengthening our community.”

The Nutrition Exchange launches this fall as a pilot in Berrien County, with plans to expand in future years based on outcomes and community impact.