Saginaw’s New Nonprofit Grocery Store Sets Nov. 18 Grand Opening, Offering Food for as Little as $15 a Month
The Saginaw Community Food Club & Kitchen combines affordable groceries, cooking education and locally sourced food in a new facility on Meredith Street.
SAGINAW, Mich. — A new nonprofit grocery store designed to help families stretch their food budgets will celebrate its grand opening Nov. 18, introducing a shopping model that replaces traditional checkout prices with memberships and a points system.
The Saginaw Community Food Club & Kitchen, located at 310 Meredith St., will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9:45 a.m., followed by member shopping and public tours beginning at 10 a.m.
The celebration marks a major milestone for a project in development since 2018. The organization began serving a limited number of members during a soft opening in October, allowing staff to test operations before the formal launch.
Unlike a conventional supermarket, the store charges qualifying members a monthly fee based on household circumstances. The goal is to provide reliable access to nutritious food while letting families choose what goes into their carts.
A Grocery Store With a Different Way to Pay
Memberships cost between $15 and $25 for 30 days, according to the organization. Eligibility is generally limited to Saginaw County residents whose household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
Instead of paying cash for each grocery item, members receive a monthly allowance of shopping points based on household size. Fresh produce, meat, dairy, and other nutritious foods generally require fewer points than heavily processed products.
The arrangement encourages healthier purchases while letting members choose products that fit their families’ preferences. However, the membership is not intended to supply an entire month’s groceries.
During the October soft opening, organization President and CEO Tina Swanton told WNEM that members typically receive enough points to obtain approximately nine to 11 days’ worth of food. The store is designed to supplement household grocery budgets rather than replace other sources of food assistance.
Eight Years of Planning Lead to Opening
The project has been under development since 2018, with nonprofit leaders, local government and community supporters working to bring the concept to Saginaw.
The city approved $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan funding for the project in 2023. City officials later worked with the organization on redevelopment plans for previously vacant property near Meredith and South Franklin streets.
The development replaces an empty site with a grocery facility intended to serve surrounding neighborhoods. The building includes a retail grocery area, cooking demonstration stations, a production kitchen, and space for nutrition education.
The project also includes a dedicated public transportation stop, making the store more accessible to residents who do not drive. In August, Molina Healthcare of Michigan contributed $100,000 to support the food club’s opening.
Cooking Classes and Local Farmers Part of the Plan
The nonprofit intends to offer more than discounted groceries.
Its kitchen facilities will support educational programs focused on meal preparation, nutrition and cooking on a budget. The organization also plans to work directly with Saginaw County farmers and other food suppliers. Those partnerships could provide another market for regional agricultural products while connecting shoppers with locally produced food.
The food club follows a membership-store approach already used in Grand Rapids, where nonprofit grocery programs combine reduced-cost food access with education and community involvement. The emphasis is on giving members a regular grocery-shopping experience rather than relying exclusively on prepacked emergency food distributions.
Grand Opening Includes Tours
The Nov. 18 celebration will give residents and community supporters a chance to see the completed facility and learn how the program operates.
The ribbon-cutting begins at 9:45 a.m., and shopping starts at 10 a.m. Community tours will follow.
The food club has already been enrolling eligible members during its soft opening, though membership availability may depend on the organization’s ability to maintain sufficient food supplies. Residents interested in joining can contact the organization to ask about qualifications, available memberships, and operating hours.
For Saginaw families facing rising grocery expenses, the food club offers another option to buy fresh food at a predictable monthly cost. Whether the model can meet growing demand will depend on continued funding, food supplies and community participation.
For membership information: Call 989-272-9162 or visit Saginaw Community Food Club & Kitchen.
Grand opening: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026, at 9:45 a.m., 310 Meredith St., Saginaw.
