Great Plains Food Bank

THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK IS NORTH DAKOTA'S LARGEST HUNGER-RELIEF ORGANIZATION WITH A MISSION TO END HUNGER THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. OUR VISION IS A HUNGER-FREE NORTH DAKOTA AND WESTERN MINNESOTA. BOTH OUR MISSION AND VISION ARE FUELED BY OUR VALUES OF PASSION, SERVICE AND INNOVATION.

STATEWIDE FOOD RECOVERY AND DISTRIBUTION: THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK (GPFB) IS THE ONLY FOOD BANK SERVING THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA AND CLAY COUNTY, MINN. OUR MISSION IS ENDING HUNGER TOGETHER. DURING FY21, THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK PROVIDED FOOD FOR 16.3 MILLION MEALS TO 153,495 PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH HUNGER; 35% WERE CHILDREN AND 16% WERE SENIORS. THE GPFB PARTNERS WITH HUNDREDS OF FOOD DONORS (GROCERS, MANUFACTURERS, GROWERS, RETAILERS AND COMMUNITY FOOD DRIVE PARTNERS) WHO DONATE FOOD FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS (OVERPRODUCTION, PACKAGING MISTAKES, NEARING A FRESHNESS DATE OR GROWN TO DONATE). THIS FOOD MAKES ITS WAY TO NEIGHBORS LIVING WITH HUNGER EITHER THROUGH GPFB'S DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS OR DIVERSE NETWORK OF PARTNER AGENCIES. THE GPFB SERVES NEARLY 200 PARTNER AGENCIES (FOOD PANTRIES, SHELTERS, SOUP KITCHENS, AND OTHER CHARITABLE FEEDING PROGRAMS) OPERATING IN 155 COMMUNITIES WHO ARE ON THE FRONT LINES PROVIDING FOOD TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. OUR DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS ALLOW THE GPFB TO FILL GAPS IN SERVICE AND BRING FOOD TO PEOPLE IN NEED THROUGH A VARIETY OF TARGETED PROGRAMS. VOLUNTEERS ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR OPERATION. THEIR SERVICE ENABLES US TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD EFFICIENTLY. LAST YEAR 1,541 VOLUNTEERS SHARED 8,374 HOURS' WORTH OF TIME WITH THE GPFB, REPACKAGING BULK ITEMS, PACKING FOOD PACKAGES, HANDING OUT FOOD, SORTING FOOD DRIVE ITEMS, AND PERFORMING ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS. THE GPFB IS SUPPORTED BY THOUSANDS OF FINANCIAL DONORS WHO KEEP OUR ORGANIZATIONAL OPERATIONAL. FOR EVERY $1 DONATED, THE GPFB CAN DISTRIBUTE FOOD FOR 3 MEALS. WE RELY ON COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS IN EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE TO HELP US DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES THAT TACKLE BOTH THE IMMEDIATE HUNGER NEEDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS, AND LONG-TERM ROOT CAUSES OF HUNGER. AND FINALLY, WE COLLABORATE WITH OUR NEIGHBORS EXPERIENCING HUNGER BY REGULARLY SEEKING THEIR GUIDANCE AND FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE SERVICES, REDUCE BARRIERS, AND ADAPT PROGRAMS TO BETTER MEET THEIR NEEDS.

USDA COMMODITY DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS: THE GPFB OPERATES TWO USDA COMMODITY PROGRAMS FOR THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP), AND THE COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM (CSFP - SENIOR FOOD PACK PROGRAM). TEFAP PROVIDES COMMODITY PRODUCTS (FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, CANNED FRUIT, VEGETABLES AND JUICES, DRY AND SHELF-STABLE MILK, CHEESE, CANNED MEATS, PEANUT BUTTER OR DRIED BEANS, CEREAL, RICE OR PASTA) TO QUALIFIED EMERGENCY FEEDING PROGRAMS SUCH AS SOUP KITCHENS, EMERGENCY SHELTERS, AND FOOD PANTRIES ACROSS THE STATE. IN FY21, THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTED 7.5 MILLION MEALS OF TEFAP PRODUCT TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS THROUGH OUR PARTNER NETWORK OF FEEDING PROGRAMS.THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK SENIOR FOOD PACK PROGRAM IS A COMMODITY-BASED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES NUTRITIONALLY-BALANCED, SHELF-STABLE FOOD PACKAGES TO LOW-INCOME SENIORS, WHICH IS ALSO SUPPLEMENTED WITH PERISHABLE PRODUCTS PROVIDED BY THE GPFB. SENIORS AGED 60+ WITH INCOMES OF LESS THAN 130 PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LINE ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ENROLLMENT IN THE PROGRAM. THE SENIOR FOOD PACK PROGRAM SERVED 33 COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA. DURING FY21, THE GPFB DISTRIBUTED FOOD FOR 216,796 MEALS TO 827 ELIGIBLE SENIORS.

CHILD HUNGER PROGRAMS: THE GPFB OPERATES A TRIO OF PROGRAMS AIMED AT ERADICATING CHILDHOOD HUNGER. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE BACKPACK, YOUTH SUMMER MEALS AND SCHOOL PANTRY PROGRAMS.THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK BACKPACK PROGRAM IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE GPFB'S SUITE OF PROGRAMS DIRECTLY TARGETING CHILDHOOD HUNGER. EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 33,000 KIDS QUALIFY FOR AND GREATLY RELY ON THE FREE AND REDUCED COST SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM. BUT ON THE WEEKENDS WHEN THE SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM IS NOT AVAILABLE, MANY OF THOSE CHILDREN STRUGGLE WITH INADEQUATE FOOD SUPPLIES. THE BACKPACK PROGRAM PROVIDES A BAG FULL OF KID-FRIENDLY FOOD TO CHILDREN FOR THE WEEKEND, ENSURING CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL MONDAY MORNING HEALTHY AND READY TO LEARN. DURING FY21, THE GPFB PARTNERED WITH 131 SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE A TOTAL OF 129,265 BACKPACKS TO 4,574 CHILDREN. THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK SCHOOL PANTRY PROGRAM IS SIMPLY A FOOD PANTRY LOCATED IN A SCHOOL, ENSURING FAMILIES AND YOUTH IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE HAVE EASY ACCESS TO FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES. IN FY21, THE GPFB PARTNERED WITH 60 SCHOOLS IN 16 COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR 80,630 MEALS TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK YOUTH SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO FEED LOW-INCOME CHILDREN OVER THE SUMMER, WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO SCHOOL MEALS. THE GPFB OPERATES MEALS SITES IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS TO PROVIDE WELL-BALANCED, NUTRITIOUS MEALS TO ANY CHILD UNDER AGE 18, FREE OF CHARGE. DURING THE 2021 SUMMER, GPFB'S YOUTH SUMMER MEAL PROGRAM PROVIDED A RECORD 21,020 MEALS TO 827 CHILDREN AT 19 MEAL SITES ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA.