ST. PAUL, MN – Hunger Solutions Minnesota is announcing the recipients of the first round of Mobile Food Shelf funding.  The $1 million in competitive grants will go to 17 food shelf programs to start or expand their mobile food shelf programs.  Mobile food shelves bring food to individuals and communities that are unable to access traditional food shelves either because of disability, age, or distance.

Programs funded include:

  • NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center, Minneapolis – $75,000
    Geographic Area Served:  North Minneapolis
  • Vineyard Community Services, Burnsville – $65,000
    Geographic Area Served: Dakota County
  • Catholic Charities of St. Cloud, St. Cloud – $10,000
    Geographic Area Served:  St. Cloud, Waite Park, Sauk Rapids, Sartell and St. Augusta
  • Western Community Action Network (WeCAN), Mound – $44,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Western Hennepin County
  • Keystone Community Services, St. Paul – $75,000
    Geographic Area Served:  St. Paul and suburban North Ramsey County
  • The Open Door, Eagan – $75,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Dakota County
  • East Side Neighborhood Services, Minneapolis – $75,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Hennepin County
  • ICA Food Shelf, Minnetonka – $30,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Western Hennepin County
  • Family Pathways, North Branch – $50,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Isanti and Chisago Counties
  • The Food Group, New Hope – $70,500
    Geographic Area Served:  Ramsey, Hennepin, and Anoka Counties
  • Prairie Five Community Action, Montevideo – $75,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Swift and Chippewa Counties
  • Two Harbors Area Food Shelf, Two Harbors – $28,500
    Geographic Area Served:  Lake and St. Louis Counties
  • The Aliveness Project, Minneapolis – $75,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Greater Minnesota communities of Alexandria, Willmar,       Brainerd, Moorhead, Grand Forks, Bemidji, Duluth, Grand Rapids, St. Cloud, Mankato, and Rochester
  • ECHO Food Shelf, Mankato – $24,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Blue Earth County
  • CEAP/Anoka CAN, Brooklyn Center – $75,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Anoka County
  • CROSS, Rogers – $38,000
    Geographic Area Served:  Corcoran, Rogers, Dayton, West Champlin, Osseo, and Maple Grove
  • Merrick Community Services, Saint Paul – $75,000
    Geographic Area Served:  East St. Paul and Western Washington County
  • Hunger Solutions Minnesota, St. Paul – $40,000 (administrative fee)
    Geographic Area Served: Statewide

“Mobile food shelves are the latest innovation in food access.  We’re finding more and more people are unable to get to their local brick-and-mortar food shelf either because it’s too far away or because they are elderly, sick, or disabled and can’t travel to a physical site.  Bringing the food shelf to them makes sure that they are able to access the nutritious food,” says Colleen Moriarty, executive director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota.

“Mobile food shelves are a win-win for the food shelves and the community. Mobile shelves are less expensive to get up and running than building a new physical location, and since they can go anywhere, they are much more flexible in being able to meet the changing needs of the people they serve.”

The $1 million funding is from an appropriation passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 2015. An additional round of funding will be issued in 2016.