The Upper Peninsula | Feeding Michigan Families

father sitting in garden and enjoying a connection together with his disabled son

Bridging the Distance

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a place of incredible beauty, but faces persistent challenges with food insecurity, affecting nearly 38,000 households, or 13% of the total population. UP families display resilience amid limited access to well-paying employment and rising housing costs. Reliable transportation is also necessary in the UP, as families often must drive an hour or more to shop at big box stores for lower prices and a wider selection than what is offered at their local grocery stores. The interconnectedness of these challenges underscores the need for increased investment and innovative strategies to guarantee consistent access to nutritious foods for more UP families.

77%

of UP participants identify as White

10%

of UP participants identify as Hispanic/Latino

of UP participants do not have a regular and safe place to live

32%

of UP participants have a family member with a disability

Upper Peninsula Participants in Feeding MI Families

Ninety-one parents from the UP engaged with Feeding MI Families, constituting 18% of all rural participants in the survey. Their input offers valuable perspectives on the values, strengths, and persistent needs of UP families grappling with food insecurity.

What We Learned

Parents in the UP generally reported similar levels of satisfaction with food assistance programs compared to other rural families.

Quotes from Upper Peninsula Parents

“[It would help if WIC was not] so selective on the brand or size container because small towns often don't carry that exact product so we can't always use all of our benefits.”

—Parent, Dickinson County

“Having more affordable access [to produce] closer to home would be wonderful. We participated in a program last summer that brought us farm fresh products. We loved that and getting all the fresh stuff each week. We used to get farmers market coupons and enjoyed that.”

—Parent, Alger County

“I think there needs to be more programs out there for families that are struggling. Like, I know like, being in the UP, we don't have any resources, but more help with housing and more help with the food and help getting jobs and more programs. We need more programs.”

—Parent, Alger County

“We live in a rural food desert. There is one proper grocery store and it's insanely overpriced. Access to affordable food is difficult.”

—Parent, Marquette County

“I live in a small community and we have a local grocery store but it's so expensive. We drive about 1 hour to do most of our grocery shopping and that makes our choices harder. Harder to get fresh fruit and veggies that last.”

—Parent, Alger County