Basic Needs Inc Of South Washington County

OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT THE BASIC NEEDS OF THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY SUCH AS HOUSING, FOOD, CLOTHING, AND COORDINATED SERVICES.

1) WE RAN THE SATURDAY SUPPER PROGRAM IN 2022 PROVIDING 1500 MEALS TO THE COMMUNITY. WE ALSO STARTED THE FOOD RESCUE WORK THE SUMMER OF 2022 WITH FUNDING FROM RAMSEY/WASHINGTON COUNTY. WE WILL NOT BE RUNNING THE SATURDAY SUPPER PROGRAM IN 2023 BECAUSE WE PLAN TO IMPACT THE LIVES OF 200 FAMILIES A DAY WITH OUR NEW MARKET 2) SENIOR SOCIAL WAS HELD EVERY TUESDAY WITH COFFEE AND STARBUCKS SNACKS WITH 4-8 PEOPLE EVERY WEEK.3) BECAUSE WE WERE SHORT STAFFED, WE ENDED SEVERAL COMMUNITY EVENTS (EASTER EGG HUNT, SPRING /SUMMER CAMPS, HALLOWEEN DRIVE THRU, BIKE SAFETY, AND WINTER WONDERLAND DRIVE THRU) AND HANDED OFF THAT WORK TO THE CITY PARK AND RECREATION TEAM. 4) WE PROVIDED SCHOOL DISTRICT 833 SUMMER MEAL AND ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM (SKOOLIE) SERVING 350 PEOPLE. 5) REMOVED ALL BAKERY OUT OF THE THRIFT SHOP TO DISTRIBUTE AT THE LIBRARY IN 2022. 6) WE STILL HAVE OUR OUR THREE FOOD PROGRAMS: FOOD RESCUE (FREE LITTLE PANTRIES) OVER 61,000 POUNDS OF FOOD, COMMUNITY GARDEN (OVER 800 POUNDS OF FOOD), AND OUR THANKSGIVING MEALS (54 FAMILIES). ALL WORK RELATED TO VOUCHERS, HYGIENE KITS, DIAPERS, AND ONE TIME SUPPORT ARE ALL MANAGED AT THE THRIFT SHOP. AS WE LOOK AT FOOD INSECURITY, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY: 1) FEDERAL OFFICIALS DECLARED THE COVID EMERGENCY SNAP ALLOTMENTS WOULD END INFEBRUARY. BECAUSE EMERGENCY SNAP IS ISSUED THE MONTH AFTER SNAP IS APPROVED, MOST HOUSEHOLDS WILL GET THEIR LAST EMERGENCY SNAP PAYMENT IN MARCH AND BENEFITS WILL RETURN TO THE STANDARD AMOUNT IN APRIL. 2) HUNGER SOLUTIONS OF MINNESOTA REPORTED THE FOLLOWING ON JANUARY 30, 2023: ?IN 2022, MINNESOTA SENIORS MADE 707,012 VISITS TO FOOD SHELVES, UP 39.8% FROM 2021. ADULT VISITS INCREASED BY 56.0% FROM 2021 TO 1,028,548 VISITS. CHILD FOOD SHELF VISITS TOTALED 1,934,205 VISITS, UP 55.3% FROM 2021.? (HTTPS://WWW.HUNGERSOLUTIONS.ORG/DATA-POSTS/2022-FOOD-SHELF-VISITS-HIT-RECORD- HIGH-UP-ALMOST-2-MILLION-VISITS-OVER-PREVIOUS-YEAR/) 3) MORE RECENTLY, GOVERNOR APPROVED 5 MILLION DOLLAR SUPPORT FOR FOOD SHELVES. THE BILL PASSED IN THE HOUSE ON FEB. 9. IT PASSED IN THE SENATE ON FEB. 27. THIS FUNDING WAS IMPORTANT TO 2ND HARVEST WHO IS THE FOOD BANK THAT WE HAVE SUBMITTED AN AGREEMENT TO SUPPORT OUR FOOD RESCUE EFFORTS. SITE VISIT PLANNED WITH 2ND HARVEST 3/13/2023. 4) WE DISTRIBUTED OVER 61,000 POUNDS OF FOOD TO OUR PANTRIES LAST YEAR AND WE STILL CAN'T KEEP THEM STOCKED. 5) OPEN CUPBOARD HAS SHARED DATA WITH US THAT OVER 2300 FAMILIES FROM OUR COMMUNITY IN SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY, USE THEIR TODAY'S HARVEST- SO THERE IS A NEED. BY OPENING A MARKET IN COTTAGE GROVE, IT WILL HELP RELIEVE THE DEMAND OF THE OAKDALE FACILITIES AND GET MORE FOOD TO MORE PEOPLE. AS A RESULT OF THIS DATA, OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS MADE THE DECISION TO EXPAND OUR FOOD RESCUE WORK. WE ARE PLANNING ON OPENING A NEW MARKET HERE IN COTTAGE GROVE IN JULY THAT WILL MIRROR THE WORK THAT IS DONE AT OPEN CUPBOARD-TODAY'S HARVEST IN OAKDALE. WE HAVE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OFFICIALS, COUNTY STAFF, AND OTHER COMMUNITY BUSINESSES. WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH NEIGHBORS INC., HASTINGS FAMILY SERVICES , AND FRIENDS IN NEED ABOUT THIS PLAN. OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO: *PROVIDES LOW-BARRIER ACCESS TO THE ITEMS MOST REQUESTED BY MN FOOD SHELF CLIENT. *PRIORITIZES A WELCOMING AND CHOICE-FOCUSED CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTERED SHOPPER EXPERIENCE. *LEVERAGES CONSISTENT SUPPLIES OF FRESH FOODS AVAILABLE THROUGH FOOD RESCUE RELATIONSHIPS WITH RETAIL PARTNERS, RESTAURANTS, FARMERS, AND FOOD BANKS. *INCORPORATE ELEMENTS OF ANONYMITY AND CONVENIENCE THAT APPEAL TOPEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH FOOD INSECURITY, YET WERE NOT ENGAGING WITH THE HUNGER RELIEF SECTOR THROUGH TRADITIONAL CHANNELS. THESE OBJECTIVES ARE ALL KEY BECAUSE MANY BRICKS-AND-MORTAR FOOD PANTRIES REQUIRE AN APPLICATION, HAVE LONG WAIT TIMES, AND CAN ONLY BE SEEN BY APPOINTMENT. ANYONE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE FOOD RESCUE MARKET. THE FUTURE LOCATION OF THE MARKET IS WITHIN A QUARTER MILE OF THREE SENIOR LIVING FACILITIES. SENIORS HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE LARGEST GROUPS USING OUR FREE LITTLE PANTRIES. IN A RECENT SURVEY COMPLETED AT THE PARK GROVE LIBRARY ABOUT THE FREE LITTLE PANTRY THERE, 58% OF THE SURVEYED WERE OVER 55. OF THE TOTAL SURVEYED, 76% USE THE PANTRIES TO OFFSET OTHER EXPENSES OR DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY. MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE LOCATION: 1) WE WILL NOT TAKE TFAP- FRIENDS IN NEED IN ST PAUL PARK ALREADY TAKES THAT. 2) WE WILL OPEN DAYS AND TIMES THAT FRIENDS AND NEED ARE NOT OPEN (WED- FRI/11-6 AND SAT/10-4)3) WE PLAN ON 200 FAMILIES COMING /DAY. LASTLY, BY FOCUSING ON FOOD RESCUE, WE CAN SAVE FOOD THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THROWN IN THE GARBAGE WHICH HAS TWO POSITIVE IMPACTS: 1) GETTING FOOD TO PEOPLE WHO CAN USE IT 2) REDUCING FOOD WASTE WHICH MAKES UP 18% OF LANDFILLS IN MINNESOTA (MINNESOTA EPA).