Scarlet’s mom Susan was working as a survivor’s advocate but recently lost her job. She’s hoping to get a new position quickly, but in the meantime, summer and weekend meals provided through our BackPack Program will help fill the gap.

“This helps in 800 different ways,” Susan shares. “Just having this takes the pressure off my shoulders, even for just a minute.”

Thanks to your support, our BackPack Program provides easy-to-prepare weekend meals to 1,000 children in 18 school districts and over 50 schools throughout NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin. These, and school meals, are a critical lifeline for local families like Susan’s.

“Look at those little happy food dances,” Susan shares, as Scarlet hops around. “Oh my goodness, that’s nice to see.”

We’re often confused with a food shelf, but did you know we’re the only “food bank” supporting agency and community partners (food shelves, on-site meal programs and tribal organizations) throughout NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin?

Our role in hunger-relief is to supply regional partners with donated and purchased food allowing them to feed families, children and seniors in your local community. Much of the food we rescue is donated by our nation’s food industry (manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and growers) who have surplus to share. Without us, it’s estimated that as much as 40% of the food produced in the U.S. would enter our nation’s waste stream.

If you’d like to learn more about our unique organization and impact throughout the Northland, you can join us for our upcoming “Behind the Scenes” Tours on Thursday, September 14 at 12 p.m. or Thursday, December 14 at 5:30 p.m. at our Duluth facility.  “I loved it,” shares volunteer Cindy who attended our tour. “It was fascinating to see where all the food comes from and where it goes. And that you save food from local restaurants.”