In May 2025, the Americana Foundation awarded a $20,000 grant to Grow Jackson to support the planning phase of a new regional food hub that will serve South Central Michigan. The initiative aims to address longstanding gaps in food systems infrastructure and expand market access for local farmers and food entrepreneurs—while giving consumers in Jackson and the surrounding area more consistent access to fresh, local food.
The food hub, still in the planning stages, is envisioned as a multi-use facility that will house a year-round farm stop (a consignment-based grocery store), a commercial kitchen for light processing and packaging, community space for events and education, and on-site space for the Jackson farmer’s market. It’s an ambitious project, and one that reflects the needs and aspirations of both local producers and residents.
South Central Michigan is a region with a strong agricultural base but few reliable ways for local producers to bring their products to market. Unlike areas such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Grand Rapids, which have benefited from years of investment in food hubs and distribution systems, Jackson County is largely disconnected from the broader state food economy. For small-scale growers and food entrepreneurs, this means fewer sales channels and higher barriers to success. For the community, it means less access to healthy, locally grown food.
Grow Jackson is stepping into that gap. Since its founding in 2020, the organization has grown from two community gardens into a city-wide initiative with 20 gardens and four core programs: Community Gardening, School Gardening, Community Nutrition, and Urban Agriculture Workforce Development. Its board is majority women, majority minority, and majority under 35—reflecting the community it serves. In just a few years, Grow Jackson has become a vital force in local food sovereignty and education.
This planning project will help the organization take its next big step. Over the course of 2025, Grow Jackson will work with local stakeholders, consultants, and statewide partners to finalize the food hub’s design, refine its business plan, and develop a capital campaign strategy. Staff and board members will also attend the Argus Farm Stop School in Ann Arbor to study the consignment model that will underpin the farm stop grocery.
This effort is deeply collaborative. Grow Jackson is partnering with the City of Jackson, Jackson County, and a diverse network of producers and civic leaders. They’re also learning from peer organizations across the state—from the Kalamazoo Valley Food Hub to the Agricole and Argus Farm Stops—to ensure the project is rooted in best practices and positioned for long-term success.
Grow Jackson’s food hub project holds the potential to catalyze real systems change—not just in Jackson County, but across Michigan. Americana is proud to support this project in its early phase and looks forward to seeing how the project progresses.