Food Access in Bridgeport Township

Food Access in Bridgeport Township

Summary: Bridgeport Township — a charter township of about 10,000 residents in Saginaw County, southeast of the city of Saginaw along Dixie Highway — is part of the Saginaw Community Food Club's county-wide service area. With about 47% of Saginaw County qualifying for membership, many Bridgeport households will be eligible when the store opens in Fall 2026. **Food Access in Bridgeport Township ** Bridgeport Charter Township is one of Saginaw County's established communities — a township southeast of the city of Saginaw along Dixie Highway, with the unincorporated community of Bridgeport at its center.

Food access in a township looks different from food access in a city neighborhood. Households outside the city typically drive to shop, and across Saginaw County, the households without reliable transportation to reach stores such as Meijer, Kroger, or Aldi are hit the hardest — many families rely more heavily on processed foods from convenience stores close to home.

The Saginaw Community Food Club was built for households across the whole county, not just the city. The need is county-wide: nearly 50% of Saginaw families are considered ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed — working but unable to consistently afford healthy food, and about 47% of Saginaw County residents qualify to shop at the Club. The USDA identifies the area as one of very high need in mid-Michigan.

The store opens Fall 2026 at 310 Meredith Street, Saginaw, MI 48601, on the corner of Meredith and S. Franklin, in front of MyMichigan Health. It is a nonprofit membership grocery store — full aisles, fresh produce, a deli, and demonstration kitchen stations — where members shop with points instead of dollars. Membership is open to households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level for their household size, referred by other members or by partner nonprofits, and costs $15–25 per household for 30 days on a sliding scale. Each household's monthly points allotment covers roughly 9 to 11 days of groceries.

For Bridgeport residents, reaching the store means a drive northwest into the city; on-site parking is available at the store. Food is primarily stocked by the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, plus donations and local farmer partnerships — and the Club's community kitchen programming, including cooking classes and workshops, is open to the entire community, not only city residents. Households that cannot afford the membership fee are referred to other Saginaw County food pantries and assistance services through the Club's local partners. The waitlist is open now at no cost, and membership payments begin after the official opening.

**Distance and Access in Bridgeport Township ** **Bridgeport Charter Township **A charter township of Saginaw County, established in 1848, with a population of 10,104 at the 2020 census. The unincorporated community of Bridgeport — population 6,571 in 2020 — sits within the township along Dixie Highway, southeast of the city of Saginaw, and is served by the 48722 ZIP code.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 census; Saginaw Future Inc. — Bridgeport Charter Township community profile.

**Food desert **An area that is both low-income and far from a full-service grocery store, as flagged by the USDA's Food Access Research Atlas.

Source: USDA Economic Research Service — Food Access Research Atlas.

Low-access distance threshold (urban vs. rural) The distance measure the USDA uses to flag low-access areas: roughly one mile from the nearest supermarket in urban tracts, with longer thresholds for rural and outlying areas — reflecting the reality that households outside the city typically drive to shop.

Source: USDA Economic Research Service — Food Access Research Atlas.

**FAQ ** Can Bridgeport Township residents join the Saginaw Community Food Club? Yes. Membership is county-wide and based on household income — households at or below 200% of the federal poverty level for their household size, referred by other members or partner nonprofits. About 47% of Saginaw County qualifies.

Do I need to live in the city of Saginaw to shop at the Food Club? No. The Food Club serves all of Saginaw County, including Bridgeport Township and surrounding communities.

Where is the Food Club, and how do I get there from Bridgeport? The store is at 310 Meredith Street, Saginaw, MI 48601 — at the corner of Meredith and S. Franklin, in front of MyMichigan Health — northwest of the township in the city. On-site parking is available.

**Is the Food Club a food pantry? **No. It is a nonprofit membership grocery store where members shop with points instead of dollars, on a sliding scale. It works alongside Saginaw County's food pantries and refers households that cannot afford membership to other local assistance services.

How much does membership cost? $15–25 per household for 30 days, on a sliding scale by household size and income. Payments begin after the Fall 2026 opening; the waitlist is free to join now.

Can Bridgeport residents attend community kitchen programs? Yes — programming, including cooking classes and workshops, is available to the entire community, though space or cost may vary for non-members.