Food Club, the membership grocery store Community Action House runs at 739 Paw Paw Drive in Holland, turned five this fall. It now welcomes about 1,500 families a week, the nonprofit said in a September 23 post marking the anniversary.
The idea was to trade the pantry line for a store. Members pay $12 to $19 for a 30-day membership and shop with points based on household size, with extra points for larger families, choosing the food their families actually eat (Community Action House). Membership is based on income, and the organization's site lists the qualifications.
Two members
A retiree the organization calls Judy joined in 2024, when rising grocery prices squeezed her fixed income. Along with groceries, she took Healthy@Home cooking classes and Financial Wellness classes in the same building. "Coming to Food Club truly brings me joy and eases so much of my stress," she told Community Action House for its anniversary post.
A member it calls Gretel found a new job in 2024 and no longer qualified for other food assistance, though her budget stayed tight. She and her daughter both manage diabetes, and Food Club lets them choose foods that fit. "Food Club is a definite life saver!" she told Community Action House for the same post. Community Action House changed both names for privacy.
More than groceries
Food Club shares a roof with the Opportunity Hub, where visiting services work on members' health, finances and social connections. Healthy@Home offers free, hands-on cooking classes for all ages, and the organization partners with health care providers to refer patients managing diet-related chronic conditions. A Food Club Mobile Market takes the model on the road.
How to shop or help
Food Club is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guest services answers membership questions at (616) 392-2368, ext. 100, or guestservices@communityactionhouse.org, and the Food Club page has a FAQ in English and Spanish. Volunteers sign up at volunteer.communityactionhouse.org, and donations go through Community Action House's giving page.
Community Action House is also in Mosaic's community support directory, with its utility and rent help and housing counseling.
