White Bear Area Emergency Food Shelf

PROVIDING FOOD AND SUPPORT TO THOSE IN NEED SINCE 1977, THE WHITE BEAR AREA FOOD SHELF WORKS TOWARD INCREASING ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD FOR ALL OUR NEIGHBORS IN THE WHITE BEAR AREA. PROGRAMS INCLUDE: ONSITE MARKET, MOBILE MARKET, SCHOOL KIDPACKS, FREE FARMERS MARKET, & COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

THE WHITE BEAR AREA FOOD SHELF HAS BEEN SERVING THE WHITE BEAR LAKE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 40 YEARS. IN 2020, WE TRANSITIONED OUR PROGRAMS TO RESPOND TO THE COVID 19 CRISIS. SINCE MARCH, WE HAVE BEEN SERVING AROUND 90 FAMILES EACH DAY THROUGH SAFETY-DRIVEN PROGRAMS. OVER 1/3 OFINDIVIDUALS VISITING THE FOOD SHELF IN 2019 WERE VISITING FOR THE FIRST TIME. OF THE INDIVIDUALS SERVED, 36% ARE CHILDREN AND 14% ARE SENIORS RESOURCE SUPPORT PROGRAM -OUR ROLE IN PROVIDING FOOD IS CRITICAL FOR 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. IN RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE EXPANDED OURSERVICES AND STRENGTHENED OUR STRATEGIES TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY. CURRENT FOOD SUPPORT PROGRAMS INCLUDES: DAILY MARKET, BONUS FRIDAY, WEEKEND KID PACK, AND MOBILE MARKETS.

RESOURCE SUPPORT PROGRAM -OUR ROLE IN PROVIDING FOOD IS CRITICAL FOR FAMILIES IN CRISIS AS THEY NAVIGATE ISSUES WITH HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, CHILD CARE, EMPLOYMENT, AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS. WHILE WE WORK HARD TO PARTNER WITH OTHER LOCAL AREA RESOURCES TO HELP MEET THESE DEMANDS, THERE ARE OFTEN TIMES WHEN ADDITIONAL HELP IS NECESSARY. THANKS TO A PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL CHURCHES, COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND A GRANT FROM OTTO BREMER TRUST, THE WHITE BEAR AREA FOOD SHELF HAS ESTABLISHED A FAMILY STABILITY EMERGENCY FUND, A FUND OF LAST RESORT TO ASSIST NEIGHBORS WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS RENT, UTILITIES, MEDICINE, AND CAR REPAIRS.

SINCE 1977, THE WHITE BEAR AREA FOOD SHELF HAS SERVED AS A CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY IN THE WHITE BEAR AREA. WE WORK TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS THAT TRADITIONALLY LIMIT ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD FOR FAMILIES LIVING ON A FIXED OR LOW INCOME. OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS, THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED HISTORICAL RISES IN FOOD INSECURITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND OUR COMMUNITY IS NO DIFFERENT. ON ANY GIVEN MONTH IN 2021 OVER 1,590 FAMILIES RECEIVED FOOD AND SUPPORT. THAT IS A 30% INCREASE FROM THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES WE WERE SUPPORTING BEFORE THE PANDEMIC IN 2019.THE FOOD SHELF IMPACT OVER THE PAST 6 YEARSCHART OF VISITS PER YEAR2016 7,6432017 11,9212018 14,4052019 14,6782020 22,0092021 19,096INDIVIDUALS SERVED BY AGE- 41% CHILDREN (0-17)- 46% ADULTS (18-64)- 13% SENIORS (65+)CURBSIDE PICKUP- THE CURBSIDE PICKUP PROGRAM STARTED ON NOVEMBER 2 OF 2020 AND THIS PROVIDED OUR NEIGHBORS THE ABILITY TO MAKE MORE OF THEIR OWN HEALTHY FOOD CHOICE AND STILL SERVE THE LEVEL OF NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY- VOLUNTEERS RETURNED TO HELP LAUNCH THE CURBSIDE PICKUP PROGRAM AND CONTINUE TO HELP SERVE ANYONE IN NEED.- THE CURBSIDE ORDER FORM IS UPDATED EACH DAY WITH 40-60 CHOICES BETWEEN FROZEN MEATS, FRESH PRODUCE, DAIRY, DELI, BAKERY, DRY GOODS, AND HYGIENE ITEMS. STATS 2021 THE CURBSIDE PICKUP MARKET:- 47,667 INDIVIDUALS SERVED- 554,502 MEALS PROVIDED- 80 HOUSEHOLDS SERVED ON AVERAGE EACH DAY (OCT-DEC 2021)- 4,247 FIRST TIME VISITORS TO THE FOOD SHELF - INDIVIDUALS SERVED * 36% CHILDREN (UNDER 18) * 10% SENIORS (65+) * 54% ADULTS (18-64)MOBILE MARKETS- MOBILE MARKETS ARE OFFERED AT VARIOUS SENIOR BUILDINGS, SCHOOLS, AND CHURCHES THROUGHOUT THE WHITE BEAR AREA. THE MOBILE PROGRAM HELPS ADDRESS THE BARRIERS TO ACCESSIBILITY DUE TO A LACK OF TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES. MOBILE MARKET SITES - 3 SENIOR LIVING SITES IN WBL - CENTURY COLLEGE - SOLID GROUND-NEW! - FREE FARMERS MARKETS * WB SENIOR CENTER * WILLOW LANE ELEMENTARY * ST. ANDREW'S COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER * COMMUNITY OF GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH MOBILE MARKET STATS - 12,037 INDIVIDUALS SERVED (70% INCREASE FROM 2020) *138,685 MEALS PROVIDED KIDPACK & SCHOOL PANTRIES-THE KIDPACK PROGRAM PROVIDES FOOD FOR ANY ELEMENTARY KID IN THE WBL SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER THE WEEKEND. MANY KIDS RELY ON MEALS THE SCHOOLS PROVIDE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK BUT GO HUNGRY ON THE WEEKEND. KIDPACKS HELP BRIDGE THAT GAP.-THE FOOD SHELF HAS PANTRIES IN EVERY JUNIOR OR SENIOR HIGH IN WHITE BEAR LAKE. THE PANTRIES ALLOW STUDENTS TO CHOOSE THEIR FOOD WHILE PROVIDING A DIRECT CONNECTION TO SCHOOL STAFF AND THE FOOD SHELF.-THE KIDPACK AND PANTRY PROGRAM CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. IN THE SPRING OF 2020, THE CITY OF WBL AND WBL ROTARY HELPED PACK EXPANDING NEED FOR KIDPACKS. IN FACT, FOR SEVERAL WEEKS KIDPACKS WENT FROM AVERAGING 300 A WEEK TO 750.KIDPACKS STATS-7514 KIDPACKS-29,472 POUNDS OF FOOD (UP 105%)DELIVERIES- IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, THE WBAFS PARTNERED WITH VALLEY OUTREACH IN STILLWATER, CHRISTIAN CUPBOARD IN OAKDALE, AND WASHINGTON COUNTY TO PROVIDE DELIVERY SERVICE FOR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING TRANSPORTATION OR MOBILITY BARRIERS.- DELIVERY BOXES CONSIST OF 75% OF FRESH VEGETABLES, FROZEN MEATS, AND DELICIOUS DELI ITEMS THAT ARE MATCHED WITH THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORS.- THE BOXES ARE DELIVERED BY OUR PARTNERS AT NEWTRAX 5 DAYS A WEEK. DELIVERY STATS- 2262 INDIVIDUALS SERVED (JUNE -DECEMBER)- 15,021 MEALS PROVIDED VOLUNTEERSAT THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, THE FOOD SHELF PAUSED OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND THE STAFF TOOK ON THE EVERYDAY ROLES TO KEEP THE FOOD SHELF RUNNING. IT SOON BECAME EVIDENT THAT WE SIMPLY COULD NOT DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THE HELP OF OUR VOLUNTEERS! VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE THE HARD LABOR NEEDED TO SORT FOOD, STOCK SHELVES, MAKE APPOINTMENTS, RESCUE FOOD, AND ASSIST OUR NEIGHBORS WHILE THEY SHOP. WE WERE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME THEM BACK IN THE FALL OF 2020 AND FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN 2021.VOLUNTEERS STATS- # OF VOLUNTEERS 378- VOLUNTEERS PROVIDED 8,223 HOURS OF SERVICE (EQUAL TO 4 FULL-TIME STAFF)- 176 NEW VOLUNTEERS STARTED IN 2021VOLUNTEERS SERVED IN THE FOLLOWING ROLES:-CURBSIDE MARKET -DELIVERIES-FOOD RESCUE-GARDEN -GREETING -KID PACK -STOCKING-WAREHOUSE