Food Pantry & Meal Support
Weekly grocery distribution built around real household size, allergies and cultural preference. Fresh produce arrives every Tuesday from partner growers in Eaton and Clinton counties.
Pantry details
Lansing, Michigan · Established 2014
Practical help for neighbors,
offered with dignity.
The Federico Ozanam Conference is a volunteer-run assistance conference serving households across Ingham County. We deliver groceries, stop shut-off notices, sit at kitchen tables, and walk with families until the pressure lifts.
- No referral required
- Confidential intake
- Same-week response
- All faiths & backgrounds welcome
Who we are
A small conference doing steady, unglamorous work
We are ninety-six trained volunteers, three part-time coordinators and one shared van. There is no marketing department here. Every dollar that arrives at 752 Magazine Street is turned into a grocery box, a paid utility account, or a pair of winter boots — usually within the same week.
Our method has not changed since the conference was founded: two volunteers go out together, they visit the household, they listen first and only then talk about what is possible. It is slower than a hotline. It also works.
0households served in 2025
0active trained volunteers
0partner agencies & parishes
0years serving Ingham County
What we do
Six programs, one front door
A household calls once. We work out together which of these fits — often more than one.
Rent & Utility Relief
One-time emergency grants that stop an eviction or a shut-off notice, paid directly to the landlord or utility provider after a short eligibility review.
Relief detailsHome Visits & Case Navigation
Two trained volunteers sit down with a neighbor, listen, and map out a plan — benefits enrollment, medical billing, school supplies, transport.
Visit detailsSeasonal Coat & Winter Drive
Michigan winters are not negotiable. Every October we collect and distribute coats, boots, hats and blankets for children and older adults.
Winter driveBack-to-School Packs
Grade-specific supply packs assembled by volunteers each August, coordinated with Lansing-area school social workers.
School packsReferral Partnerships
When a need falls outside what we can do, we hand off warmly — never a phone number on a scrap of paper, always a named contact.
Referral network
How a request works
From first call to help in hand
- You reach out. Phone, email or the contact form. We ask for a name, a ZIP code and a short description of the situation. Nothing else at this stage.
- We call back within one business day. A coordinator confirms what is urgent and books either an office appointment or a home visit.
- Two volunteers meet you. Never one alone. We review documents only when a specific grant requires it — a lease, a shut-off notice, a pay stub.
- We act. Groceries the same day where possible. Utility and rent payments go directly to the provider, generally within 72 hours of approval.
- We follow up. A short check-in at two weeks and again at ninety days, unless you tell us you would rather we did not.
In their words
Neighbors we walked with
“The shut-off notice was for a Friday. Someone from the conference called the utility on Wednesday and it was handled. Nobody made me feel small about asking.”
D. M. · Lansing, 48912
“They came to the apartment, sat down, and actually listened before offering anything. That was the part I did not expect.”
R. and A. T. · Holt, MI
“My kids started the school year with the right supplies for once. Small thing to some people. Not to us.”
Y. B. · Lansing, 48910
Names are abbreviated at the request of the households involved. Quotes are shared with written permission and lightly edited for length.
Three ways to make this week easier for a family in Lansing
Volunteer four hours a month, drop off pantry goods at Magazine Street, or refer a neighbor who is too proud to call for themselves.