A new community zine aims to help residents find food assistance close to home. The Keweenaw Food Access Guide to Local Food Availability centralizes pantry hours, program contacts and other resources in one place.
The zine grew out of the Keweenaw Food Access Summit, which brought together organizations, programs and partners several months ago. Danielle Perkowitz, business and community development manager for the City of Houghton, led the effort to create the guide, alongside Gina Kerr and Allison Mills.
The guide organizes resources by city or village, with regional programs listed toward the back. Perkowitz said the bulk of the locations are in Houghton and Hancock, and the Calumet-Laurium area also has several sites.
“I want to say there’s like 12 in Houghton, eight maybe in Hancock. So the bulk of the resources are definitely probably in Houghton and Hancock,” Perkowitz said. “But the Calumet-Laurium area definitely does have some locations.”
Perkowitz said the regional programs are especially useful. Many of them deliver services across communities, so people can access help no matter where they live. She pointed to Feeding Friends and Meals on Wheels as examples.
Across the western Upper Peninsula, communities have set up local resources for people in need. A common challenge, however, is making sure people know where those resources are. The guide addresses that gap by putting the information in one easy-to-carry place.
Perkowitz said the zine is also designed to reduce the stigma that can come with seeking help. “In some ways, in a small part, remove some of the shame and stigma when you’re looking for help,” she said. “So it’s something that can be at local businesses, and you can look down and think, oh, this is sort of cute.”
The format itself has a history. Zines trace back to early science fiction, when fans created “fanzines” to discuss their favorite stories. Writers and artists have since used zines to self-publish smaller works. Punk and alternative music scenes adopted the format to spread information quickly and cheaply, in keeping with a do-it-yourself culture. Zines are small enough to fit in a pocket, often feature colorful imagery and are passed from person to person.
The City of Houghton supported the first round of printing. The League of Growers, a grant-funded group of local farms passionate about food access, also helped promote the guide. Perkowitz said the goal is to make sure community members have access to fresh, quality produce.
The guide is meant to be a living document. Perkowitz said the group will keep the digital version current and release updated print editions periodically. Anyone with an update, an addition or a resource worth sharing can contact the organizers.
“All of our combined efforts can now be consolidated in one document that we can all contribute to,” Perkowitz said.
Perkowitz sees potential beyond food access. She believes the zine format could help residents find information about other challenges, such as mental health services in the western Upper Peninsula.
Residents who want a print copy can start at the City of Houghton office. More copies will be available around town as printings become available. The digital version is available online here.
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