We invite you to become an Advocate for Food Security.
Mission Statement:
Ending hunger across communities through
leadership and collaboration.
We achieve our mission by focusing on leadership, innovation
and results. We are passionate about our work and inspire
others to generously participate in solving hunger. We are constantly working to increase food security because if you
are hungry, nothing else matters.
Take Action Against Hunger!
Within our 21 county service area, 40% are children, 20% are seniors and the balance of 40% are working families. Today more and more families are living paycheck to paycheck and find themselves having to choose between food and other unexpected needs. According to the US Census Bureau, poverty rates are highest among rural, non-metropolitan counties, where it can be more difficult for food banks and emergency assistance programs to support them. North County Food Bank has worked to find new ways to reach its’ rural clients. Mobile Food Pantries along with Produce Drops are ways we help to reach all our hungry neighbors. No person in our community should have to go hungry. The truth is, there is plenty of food. It is just a matter of logistics. Find it and figure out how to capture it.
Recently North Country Food Bank assisted Feeding America conduct a hunger study in our service area. The results were heartbreaking. There has been a 46% increase of people seeking assistance since the 2006 Hunger in America study.
Our history of securing food for our agencies began by helping distribute surplus food captured by the USDA. Next we worked with Food Manufacturers to capture and distribute their surplus inventory. In more recent years we began working with Grocers and Retail Stores to capture their surplus food. Fresh Produce is our most exciting segment. Last year NCFB grew its’ distributed pounds of food by 47%. The majority of that growth was fresh produce. Although our area has pockets of severe poverty, we also cover the Red River Valley that is rich with potatoes & dry edible beans.
Please Help Support North Country Food Bank’s Fresh Produce Initiative
The potential for produce distribution by food banks beyond current output is staggering. For Feeding America’s six highest volume commodities (potatoes, onions, apples, carrots, cabbage, and sweet potatoes) 1.2 billion pounds grown in the US is not harvested and an additional 3.9 billion pounds of harvested produce is not sold. We have 3 active produce programs that are helping provide more fresh produce for our agencies:
Invest An Acre – Farmers who grow non edible crops can choose to divert some money when they turn their crops in to the elevators. Those donations are matched by Monsanto. Both NCFB & your local Food Shelf benefit.
Farm to Food Shelf Program – NCFB is one of six Feeding America Food Banks in MN that is sharing $2 million over the next 3 years from the MN Dept. of Ag to be used to reimburse growers for their surplus produce.
Sourcing to Excess-NCFB is working with all 201 food banks in Feeding America's Network to share food surpluses.
We work closely with local, state-wide and national organizations.
Mission Statement:
Ending hunger across communities through
leadership and collaboration.
We achieve our mission by focusing on leadership, innovation
and results. We are passionate about our work and inspire
others to generously participate in solving hunger. We are constantly working to increase food security because if you
are hungry, nothing else matters.
Take Action Against Hunger!
- One in six Americans struggle with hunger – that’s almost 49 million people, and 16 million children
- 55 percent of high food insecure counties are located in rural counties
- Non-metro/rural areas also have the highest cost of meals
- Rural America is the land of plenty, yet it’s also the most prevalent area for hunger
Within our 21 county service area, 40% are children, 20% are seniors and the balance of 40% are working families. Today more and more families are living paycheck to paycheck and find themselves having to choose between food and other unexpected needs. According to the US Census Bureau, poverty rates are highest among rural, non-metropolitan counties, where it can be more difficult for food banks and emergency assistance programs to support them. North County Food Bank has worked to find new ways to reach its’ rural clients. Mobile Food Pantries along with Produce Drops are ways we help to reach all our hungry neighbors. No person in our community should have to go hungry. The truth is, there is plenty of food. It is just a matter of logistics. Find it and figure out how to capture it.
Recently North Country Food Bank assisted Feeding America conduct a hunger study in our service area. The results were heartbreaking. There has been a 46% increase of people seeking assistance since the 2006 Hunger in America study.
- Hunger has adverse consequences for all Americans, but particularly for children and mothers.
- Hunger impedes growth and development.
- Hunger is associated with behavior problems among preschoolers and school-age children.
- Hunger is a significant predictor of adverse health conditions.
Our history of securing food for our agencies began by helping distribute surplus food captured by the USDA. Next we worked with Food Manufacturers to capture and distribute their surplus inventory. In more recent years we began working with Grocers and Retail Stores to capture their surplus food. Fresh Produce is our most exciting segment. Last year NCFB grew its’ distributed pounds of food by 47%. The majority of that growth was fresh produce. Although our area has pockets of severe poverty, we also cover the Red River Valley that is rich with potatoes & dry edible beans.
Please Help Support North Country Food Bank’s Fresh Produce Initiative
The potential for produce distribution by food banks beyond current output is staggering. For Feeding America’s six highest volume commodities (potatoes, onions, apples, carrots, cabbage, and sweet potatoes) 1.2 billion pounds grown in the US is not harvested and an additional 3.9 billion pounds of harvested produce is not sold. We have 3 active produce programs that are helping provide more fresh produce for our agencies:
Invest An Acre – Farmers who grow non edible crops can choose to divert some money when they turn their crops in to the elevators. Those donations are matched by Monsanto. Both NCFB & your local Food Shelf benefit.
Farm to Food Shelf Program – NCFB is one of six Feeding America Food Banks in MN that is sharing $2 million over the next 3 years from the MN Dept. of Ag to be used to reimburse growers for their surplus produce.
Sourcing to Excess-NCFB is working with all 201 food banks in Feeding America's Network to share food surpluses.
We work closely with local, state-wide and national organizations.
- MN Farm Bureau
- Beltrami County Farm Bureau
- MN Farmers Union
- University of MN, Extension
- Northern Plains Potato Growers Association
- MN Apple Growers Association
- MN Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association
- MN Farmer’s Market Association
- USDA
- Hunger Solutions
- Office of Economic Opportunity
- United Way
- West Polk County Farm Bureau
- Red River Valley Potato Growers
