Area Food Shelves Working Hard to Help Those in Need

by Sheila Helmberger

Big ticket toys and luxury items are practically unheard of purchases these days. Most people are working harder than ever to just meet their family's basic needs. For some it's become a struggle to stay in their homes, keep warm throughout the Minnesota winter, and feed their families.

This winter, local food shelves have been hit particularly hard. So far, thanks to generous donations that continue to arrive, they have been able to keep up. Churches and organizations that are still able to pitch in are making an impact. Other regional and state funded resources have proven essential to keeping food on shelves. Some wonder though, for how long.

Debbie Lick is the office manager at the Salvation Army Food Shelf in Brainerd. She said the site helps around 20 families a day now, which is a 10 percent increase over last winter.

"We're seeing people who have had jobs for years and never needed us coming in for help. There's nothing out there for them as far as finding work."

Most of the state's food shelves are able to offer basic non-perishable items to families in need. Most also have a small amount of refrigerator and freezer space.
"We try to have hamburger or hot dogs. We have chicken nuggets and margarine right now from the food bank. We get bread and sometimes milk, but not often. For baby items we take in baby food and formula. We get requests for diapers and also hygiene stuff," said Lick, "Sometimes we are able to offer toilet paper and other paper items, shampoo, and body soap."

"At the current time I would have to say yes we've been able to help everyone that's asked. We haven't had to turn anyone away. But there is a terrific need," said Lick.

Besides private donations the food shelves in Brainerd, Bemidji and Grand Rapids can purchase items at rock bottom prices from the Second Harvest North Central Food Bank located in Grand Rapids. The six regional Minnesota food banks work with wholesalers, manufactures, and other sources taking in food and government commodities to redistribute to area food shelves.

Most sites pre-box the allotment, comparable to a three day supply, of items a family can take in one visit. Supplies are donated to the food shelves in the way of food purchased by donors or cash. Credit card donations can be made through the divisional headquarters. When local grocers run 'buy one get one' specials sometimes customers generously donate the extra to the food shelf.

Ellen Christmas is the program manager at the Grand Rapids Food Shelf. "From last February to this February we served an increase for the month of over 50 families. If we keep seeing these numbers we certainly won't be able to keep up. We have so far because our donors have been able to keep up but we've already seen a bit of a decrease in that. People donate smaller amounts because of their own economic situations. Some of the people that used to be donors are becoming shelf users," she said. She estimates about 38 percent of those they help feed are children.

"We depend on charitable giving. A lot of food shelves have already cut back what they can give per visit. They've cut back on hours they're open. We are in a big area. Some food shelves have no churches, individuals and organizations like we do that are able to give. One helpful tip for donors from Christmas is that people should donate cash instead of food. Thanks to those low cost purchases from food banks she said, "Sometimes that money might go a little farther. For every dollar you give we can get six pounds of food," she estimates. "Drives by the post office and Boy Scouts are very important too," she said, considering the Grand Rapids Food Shelf goes through about 3,000 pounds of food each month.

Myrtle Smetak is the manager/interviewer at the Bemidji Community Food Shelf. "We are able to keep up as of now, but I don't know about future increases." Smetak said they're lucky. "We have a very generous community. And we have 15-20 area churches that donate regularly.

Smetek said cash donations are always appreciated at the Bemidji location for the same reason as the others but food donations of rice and canned goods are always welcome, too. "We can always use macaroni products, tuna, canned soup or canned vegetables. Cereals are especially needed also - either hot or cold."

To make a donation or schedule a meeting with one of the food shelves in the article see below:

Bemidji Community Food Shelf
310 Fourth Street, Bemidji
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; until 7 p.m. the third Monday of every month, (218) 444-6580

Salvation Army Food Shelf Brainerd
208 5th St. S., Brainerd
(218)829-1120

Grand Rapids Food Shelf
2222 Cromell Drive, La Prairie,
(218) 326-4420

QUESTION: HAVE YOU EVER DONATED GOODS OR TIME TO THE FOOD SHELF IN YOUR AREA? TELL YOUR STORY BY CLICKING THE "SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS" BUTTON.