The newest food club in Michigan is set to open its doors in 2026—and we’re excited to share how they got here.
Saginaw Community Food Club & Kitchen (SCFC) is moving steadily toward reality thanks to a collaborative effort from community leaders, partner organizations, and volunteers who recognized a critical gap in Saginaw’s food access landscape. SCFC emerged from the Food Access Collaboration Team of Saginaw (FACTS), a coalition of hospitals, MSU-Extension, the Saginaw Intermediate School District, local nonprofits, and others who came together to share rather than duplicate resources. That spirit of shared work has carried the project from idea to blueprint to construction site.
Start-up Funding and Research
The project officially took off with a USDA grant in 2023, with the Saginaw Community Foundation serving as fiduciary to help manage the early funding requirements. The grant came with a match, which opened the door to support from local foundations. From there, SCFC secured commitments from both the City of Saginaw and Saginaw County through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Additional sponsorships from local businesses and community donors helped round out the early budget and build momentum.
Early in the planning phase, SCFC volunteers visited Food Club Network sites and local grocery stores to compare layout, workflow, and space needs. They studied population sizes and eligibility percentages in communities like Saginaw, Grand Rapids, and Ludington to determine the right size for their own facility. These visits—and conversations with established operators—shaped many of the decisions that followed.
Location and Facility
Originally, SCFC planned to renovate an existing building, but after pricing out two separate sites, they discovered that new construction would actually be a more affordable and efficient option. When choosing to purchase an open lot on Meredith Street in Saginaw, they evaluated several criteria:
- Transit access: The site sits directly on a bus route, and SCFC is adding a stop at their own parking lot.
- Serving the highest-need areas: Zip codes 48601 and 48607 on the east side are both considered food deserts, and—together with 48602 across the river—make up the bulk of local 2-1-1 food-assistance calls. The club’s site sits right at the border of these high-need areas and just one block from the river, making it easy for residents on both sides to access.
- Neighborhood revitalization: The team wanted to clean up a blighted or vacant site. Their current lot had long sat empty, allowing a chance to transform it into something community-serving.
- Parking access: A new build allowed them to ensure on-site parking, especially important for members carrying groceries.
While some community members questioned whether building new was the best financial choice, SCFC has found that construction flexibility, long-term cost savings, and member-centered design have more than justified the decision.
Like many food clubs, SCFC will operate with a small staff and a large, multi-tasking volunteer team. That reality heavily influenced the layout. The new facility will include:
- Two loading docks for deliveries
- A walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer
- A large L-shaped warehouse, designed for today’s floor-level storage and tomorrow’s pallet racking system
- Open sight lines to allow volunteers to pivot between tasks easily
- Logical flow between warehouse, kitchen, and retail areas
These floor plans and equipment decisions came from both their own research and conversations with other food clubs, particularly around cold storage, warehouse flow, volunteer needs, and long-term scalability. Community Food Club in Kent County has been particularly helpful, guiding SCFC to refine their priorities and understand the cost trade-offs in both construction and equipment.
The Work Ahead
Like all nonprofits, SCFC is continuing to raise funds to fully deliver on its mission. The team is working to increase visibility by sharing who they are, why this matters for Saginaw, and how residents and partners can get involved. At the same time, the team is actively driving toward key milestones—completing construction, bringing their first staff members on board, and recruiting those all-important volunteers central to day-to-day operations once the club opens. All of these efforts are carrying SCFC toward its anticipated spring 2026 launch.
And once the club is open, the SCFC team has clear goals for their first year:
- Grow to 1,200 members per month
- Rescue at least 60% of the food in the store, both using their own trucks and through partnerships with local suppliers
- Launch at least one major kitchen partnership program that features educational programming
These goals reflect both ambition and realism—and a deep belief that Saginaw is ready for a new kind of food access model. From a small group of determined visionaries to a soon-to-open facility designed for dignity, efficiency, and choice, Saginaw Community Food Club & Kitchen is creating something new and exciting for area residents. Their journey reflects what many emerging food clubs experience: the mix of research, collaboration, problem-solving, community education, and a whole lot of perseverance.
We can’t wait to see their doors open and we can welcome a new partner into Michigan’s growing network of community-based food clubs!
