PORTIONS | February 2024

Monthly e-newsletter from the Great Plains Food Bank

Help us celebrate our largest Giving Hearts Day ever!

Because of YOUR support and incredible generosity and commitment to feeding hungry children throughout North Dakota and Clay County, Minn., you made this the largest Giving Hearts Day we have ever had! 


You helped us provide more than 1.7 MILLION MEALS for hungry children!


We believe that hunger is a shared responsibility and through generous community members like you and all who have made the choice to help in this critical work, we can ensure the more than 50,000 kids who rely on the Great Plains Food Bank each year have the nutrition they need to grow, learn and thrive.

Record-breaking year as need for food assistance increases

A total of 156,479 individuals turned to the Great Plains Food Bank and our network of feeding programs for food assistance in 2023. This alarming statistic is the highest single-year total in the organization’s 40-year history. This means that our food bank helped 1-in-5 individuals and 1-in-3 children across our service region last year. In 2020, a year ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, the previous record of 145,587 individuals were served, equating to 1-in-6 individuals in the region.


Great Plains Food Bank CEO Melissa Sobolik said, “Our neighbors are still seeing the economic impacts of inflation and high food prices and it’s continuing to have devastating effects on those struggling to make ends meet. This isn’t a record-breaking celebration, instead it’s a call to action. While I am incredibly proud of our organization for stepping up to meet this unprecedented demand, we can’t do it alone. Now is the time to join us, get engaged and help to end hunger together.


Read the full article HERE

Kitchen Coalition program provides 14,000 meals in first year

Piloted in the Fargo area by the Great Plains Food Bank in January 2023, Kitchen Coalition pairs restaurants that are passionate about ending hunger with local shelters, focusing on an often overlooked yet large demographic facing food insecurity – the homeless population.


The meals we get here are a blessing,” said Tracy, who utilizes the program through the Gladys Ray Shelter and the Downtown Engagement Center.


In a short amount of time, the program has grown to providing as many as 335 meals in a single week. Those are meals that otherwise would be going to waste.


Read the full article HERE

Kitchen Coalition Partners

Downtown Engagement Center

The Jeremiah Program

F5 Project

Brew Kitchen and Catering

Fargo VA

Power Plate Meals

Danielle from Gladys Ray Homeless Shelter (left), Amber (center) from Brew Kitchen and Catering and Jay (right) from the Downtown Engagement Center stand by meals distributed through the Kitchen Coalition Program

Stories of Hope: Brenda


Every time Brenda shops for groceries in Dickinson, North Dakota, she is careful about what she buys.


The price of food has gone up in recent months and her budget doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. Items that once cost her $3, now costs $5-6. In particular, she’s noticed the price of perishable foods like meat, fruits, vegetables and milk have gone up. “Money is tight,” she said. “I have to watch how I spend it.”


Brenda, 63, and her husband live on a fixed monthly income. She receives disability payments. Her husband receives Social Security. With their combined income, they cover their home mortgage and expenses like electricity. They also pay transportation expenses like gas and car insurance. The couple’s income qualifies them for heating assistance and about $200 a month in assistance through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). “It doesn’t go very far,” she said.

Read Brenda's Story of hope HERE

Fargo Kiwanis name food bank CEO and youth-led hunger relief project as 'Champions for Kids'

At their recent annual pancake carnival, Fargo Kiwanis recognized our CEO Melissa Sobolik as a “Champion for Kids” for all of her work in fighting childhood hunger across the region. Being an exceptional advocate for the more than 50,000 children who rely on our food bank each year is only part of a long list of her abilities, although it may be her best!


Fargo Kiwanis also recognized the "Fill the Dome" project with an organizational award for their hunger-fighting efforts!


Beginning in 2007, the annual "Fill the Dome" event brought in more than 2.4 million pounds of food and a total of

$700,000. The project is led by student leaders and volunteers from over 50 area schools, with support from the Great Plains Food Bank. This project plays a significant role in addressing food insecurity and also serves as a valuable experience for emerging community leaders.

Gifts of Mention



Thanks to all that continue to aid our work across North Dakota! We would like to recognize some recent gifts that have made a substantial impact in the fight to end hunger: Amazon.com, Inc: $10,000.00 (food recovery & distribution); Coborn's, Inc.: $98,991, from Feed Hope customer support register campaign; Feeding America: $70,264 (food recovery & distribution, advocacy support); First Lutheran Church, Williston: $15,000 (food recovery & distribution); Hope Lutheran Church, Fargo: $34,200 (backpack program support for McKinley, Lewis & Clark and Willow Park elementary schools); Marathon Oil Company: $20,000.00 (childhood hunger-relief in western ND)

Upcoming Mobile Food Pantry Routes

The Great Plains Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry provides fresh vegetables, fruits, shelf-stable items, meat, bakery items, boxed goods and more to communities in need. Items are distributed right off of our truck by our staff and volunteers and delivered directly to people in need. Distributions are set up as a drive-through where clients are able to stay in their cars and items are placed directly inside their vehicle. All in need of food assistance are welcome to come and receive food at no cost!

February 29

Dickinson

528 21st Street West

9:30 a.m. (Mountain Time) until gone


Richardton

St. Mary’s Social Center

332 2nd Street North

11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (Mountain Time)


New Salem

Metropolitan Hotel

514 Main Avenue | 5 p.m.


March 5

Rolette

Near Northland Health Clinic

401 2nd Avenue | 10:30 a.m. until gone


Belcourt

1023 Chief Little Shell Street NE

12:30-2 p.m.


Fort Totten

Four Winds High School

7268 ND-57 | 3-4 p.m.


March 7

Valley City

Epworth United Methodist Church

680 8th Avenue SW | 1:30-3 p.m.


Jamestown

Jamestown High School

1509 10th Street NE | 5-6:15 p.m.


March 12

Cannonball

Red Gym parking lot | Weasel Street

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.


Fort Yates

Sitting Bull College Science and Technology Center | 9299 Highway 24 | 12:45-2 p.m.


Selfridge

Selfridge Assembly of God

110 1st Avenue North | 4-5:30 p.m.


Solen

Solen Fire Station

300 Leach Street | 4:30-6 p.m.


Porcupine

Community building

Pahayanni Loop | 6-7 p.m.

March 20

Wimbledon

St. Boniface Church parking lot

9 a.m. until gone


Harvey

Harvey High School | 200 North Street E

11:15 a.m. – 12 p.m.


Towner

St. Cecilia’s Church

503 1st Street Southwest | 1:45-2:30 p.m.


Lakota

Lakota Community Center

404 US-2 | 4:45-5:45 p.m.


March 26

Dunn Center

City Hall | 3 Main Street

10:15-11 a.m. (Mountain Time)


Mandaree

Water Chief Hall

105 4th Avenue SW | 2:45-3:30 p.m.


New Town

Northern Lights Community Center

710 East Avenue | 5:15-6:15 p.m.


March 27

Four Bears

Johnny Bird Veteran Memorial Building

2010 Chief Four Bears Avenue

9-9:45 a.m.


White Shield

N.D. Public Safety building

401 Son of Star, Roseglen | 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Full Mobile Pantry Schedule linked Here
About the Great Plains Food Bank
The Great Plains Food Bank's mission is to end hunger together. A proud partner of Feeding America, our vision is to create a hunger-free North Dakota and Clay County, Minn. We do all things in the spirit of passion, service and innovation. Together we can solve hunger.
GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK
1720 3rd Avenue North
Fargo, ND 58102

1315 South 20th Street
Bismarck, ND 58504
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