Advocate & Raise Awareness
Help make sure the voices of all our neighbors in need are heard! Never underestimate the power of one voice. You can help us ensure the voices of our neighbors in need are heard and help us raise awareness of hunger and its effects in northwest and west central Minnesota.
How To Help
Contact your representatives (local, state and federal) and ask them to support legislation that feeds and stabilizes families, children and seniors
Write a letter to the editor about hunger in our region and encourage others to join our fight
Tell your family, friends and colleagues why you’re involved and encourage them get involved
Organize an event to raise awareness of hunger
Contact us by email or call us at (218) 399-7356 for more information.
Together we can make a difference.
The Farm Bill
Farmers in this country believe in producing safe, high-quality food for people everywhere. The Farm BIll allows them to grow food specifically to help our neighbors facing hunger.
The work we do at North Country Food Bank would not be possible without the continued passage of the Farm Bill, which is renewed about every five years. The follow programs, especially, benefit from the Farm Bill:
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which brings food from farms to food banks and then to people facing hunger;
- The Commodity Supplemental Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), which provides healthy food to seniors every month;
- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which gives recipients grocery credit via electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards.
Programs That Benefit
According to our national partner Feeding America, Lawmakers should:
- “Authorize and increase mandatory funding for TEFAP food purchases to $500 million annually.”
Doubling TEFAP’s annual funding for entitlement commodities, this new level would guarantee a consistent flow of nutritious foods to food banks and incentivize growing operations. - “Reauthorize and increase to $200 million per year funding for TEFAP storage and distribution and reauthorize $15 million for TEFAP infrastructure grants.”
Storing and transporting food is expensive–especially in rural communities! These funds would offset that cost and cover expenses like fuel and refrigeration.
Because CSFP is a discretionary, annually funded program, it can only serve as many people as it can afford. The more money approved for the program, the more eligible participants receive a monthly food package.
According to our national partner Feeding America, the 2023 Farm Bill Must:
- “Ensure SNAP’s purchasing power remains strong.”
SNAP Benefits must increase to meet inflation, or more strain will be put on food banks to meet the needs of those facing hunger. - “Streamline SNAP eligibility and enrollment.”
Because current eligibility rules and enrollment processes are complicated, applicants may be confused and ultimately not receive the help they need. Simplifying the eligibility requirements and enrollment procedures will help ensure that those facing hunger can apply for aid. - “Better assist individuals seeking employment.”
Congress would help SNAP participants who are looking for work by making sure that they receive adequate benefits while searching for a job and by supporting effective state employment and training programs. - “Ensure equitable food assistance in the U.S. Territories.”
Puerto Rico and other U.S. Territories should be allowed by congress to transition to full participation in SNAP. - Ensure Sovereignty for Native Communities.
Congress must work with tribal stakeholders to allow tribal governments to administer federal programs and by allowing Food Distribution on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) beneficiaries to also participate in SNAP.
Where We Serve
North Country Food Bank serves 21 counties in northwest and west central Minnesota and part of Grand Forks, North Dakota.