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Food Initiative

 Improving food access and education in the Copper Country.

Registration now open

September 30, 2025

Building Blocks: Infants Feeding Fundamentals returns November 8, 2025

Building Blocks: Infant Feeding Fundamentals is back on Saturday, November 8, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center in downtown Hancock. Copper Shores Community Health ...
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Food Initiative

Copper Shores is committed to improving access to locally grown and healthful foods within our community. Through a variety of efforts, we help provide affordable food, support the local agricultural economy and offer nutrition education.

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Farm to School Pilot Program

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Nutrition Education Events

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Mobile Food Pantries

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Specific Grant Opportunities

Farm to School Pilot Program

We’re testing curriculum and identifying the barriers that stop Farm to School from being implemented in local classrooms.

Classroom

Developing positive relationships with food in early education.

Cafeteria

Understanding what kids are actually eating at lunch time.

School Gardens

Helping schools develop plans and logistics for their gardens.

Nutrition Education Events

Community Health Educator, Meghan Jaszczak, R.D. works with fellow health professionals in our community to provide a variety of free educational health and nutrition opportunities through the year.

Meghan at the Market

Stop by the farmers market for Q&A with a registered dietitian.

Building Blocks: Infant Feeding Fundamentals

Gain helpful tips, tricks and tools for feeding your infant.

Building Habits and Setting Goals

Hear from local health professionals and kick off the year with practical health tips and habits.

Heads UP - A Youth Wellbeing Event

Fun, food and fitness for middle schoolers, guided by local health professionals.

Mobile Food Pantries

We’re partnering with multiple organizations to sponsor the Feeding America West Michigan mobile food pantry, which brings free produce, dairy products and more to community members in need.

Feeding America West Michigan is a food bank that serves 40 of Michigan’s 83 counties, including the entire Upper Peninsula. This is the sixth year Copper Shores has sponsored the mobile food pantries.

Baraga County

Sponsored in partnership with Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.

Houghton County

Sponsored in partnership with Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

Ontonagon County

Sponsored in partnership with the Ontonagon Volunteer Fire Department and Ontonagon Area School District.

Specific Grant Opportunities

We offer a variety of grant opportunities to fellow community organizations throughout the year, including grants that are aimed at supporting food access in the Copper Country and ongoing community improvement projects.

Emergency Food Assistance Grant

Financially supporting local food pantries and food focussed organizations.

Small Grants Program

$2,500 grant opportunity to boost new and existing projects and programs.

What are we up to?

Check out the latest news about nutrition education and food access in the Copper Country.

September 30, 2025

Building Blocks: Infants Feeding Fundamentals returns November 8, 2025

Building Blocks: Infant Feeding Fundamentals is back on Saturday, November 8, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center in ...
Read More
September 26, 2025

Podcast: Harvest Feast at Adams Township Schools

Amanda Andress, Farm-to-School Coordinator and English Teacher at Adams Township Schools joins the Copper Shores Podcast to talk about the district’s ...
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September 8, 2025

Community roots grow deeper at fresh farmers market location

If you find yourself spending a sunny Saturday in downtown L’Anse, the recently relocated Baraga County Farmers Market should be on top of your list ...
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Keep up with our work

Sign up for our Food Initiative newsletter

If you’re interested in keeping up with our efforts to make food and food education more accessible in the Copper Country - as well as community events, the farmers market schedule and more - consider signing up for our free quarterly Food Initiative email newsletter.

How to Support

If you believe in this mission and are able to support it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation.

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