by Anja Wuolu
During the month of December, the Minnesota Street Market Food and Art Co-op holds a food drive for the St. Joseph Food Shelf. Donations will go to help feed the 109 households who use the food shelf. All types of people use the space, including families and college students.
Minnesota Public Radio published a story on food insecurity on Nov 21. Second Harvest Heartland, the Salvation Army and Hunger Solutions are all experiencing a greater need for grocery assistance.
“There’s increasing demand for service,” wrote Dan Gunderson of MPR, “and increasing cost to provide that service.”
The statewide trend rings true in St. Joseph as well. Julie Gravgaard, coordinator at the St. Joseph Food Shelf, reported a noticeable increase in the amount of food needed.
“We had a decrease during COVID,” Gravgaard said, “I think that’s because there was a lot of money out there, but the money has ceased, food stamps have gone back to normal and groceries have gone up.”
For those with proof of St. Joseph residency, the food shelf is available once per month, and sometimes more often if there is an urgent need. Shoppers may go through the aisles just as they would any grocery store, picking what they like out of the items offered. Gravgaard said she believes it’s important for people to choose their own groceries. Although everybody is offered the same selection, each household is different and therefore has different needs.
The food shelf sports a wide assortment of items. Painted metal shelves hold boxes of dry goods such as condiments, pasta and cereal. A freezer stuffed with St. Joe Meat Market meat stands near a fridge full of fresh produce. Coborn’s generous donations supplies the food shelf with some of its inventory. There are other seasonal food drives such as the St. John’s Prep Thanksgiving drive.
Local residents love to donate items as they are able. Winter clothes, blankets, art supplies, school supplies and more sit or have sat in overflowing baskets at the food shelf. Krewe is running a winter coat drive. Even the food shelf’s landlord plans to help out in the form of giving the building a better sign.
Some shelves in the center of the building are stocked entirely by donations from the Minnesota Street Market.
“Our relationship,” said Gravgaard about the Minnesota Street Market, “is defined by having a common goal…People who are food insecure should not only have food to eat but should have access to healthy food.”
Danielle Taylor, director of operations at the Minnesota Street Market, echoed Gravgaard’s sentiments.
“I feel like it’s important for everyone to have access to quality food,” Taylor said, “including people in need.”
In 2020, Taylor established the first food drive at the co-op, raising $5,393 that December. In 2021, the co-op raised funds for 21 Thanksgiving turkeys for November and $5,436 in December. This year, the co-op donated 21 Thanksgiving turkeys and has begun December collections. Although a person may make a donation at any time, collections for the 2022 food drive will continue through the end of this year.
Thanks to the co-op’s help, the food shelf has been able to purchase items such as honey from Honeybee Ranch in Kimball, flour from Swany White in Freeport and butter from Stony Creek in Melrose. Without the co-op’s annual fundraiser, shoppers of the food shelf would not have access to these quality food items.
“People really, really like [the flour, honey and butter],” Gravgaard said. “They’re surprised that we can get that.”
Each month, Taylor and Gravgaard work together to buy wholesale product from suppliers for the food shelf. Taylor then drives the cases of butter, oil and more from the delivery spot at the co-op to a team of eager volunteers at the food shelf. Not only is this partnership providing great food for food-insecure people, the co-op and food shelf are bolstering the local economy. By shopping at nearby businesses, money can stay in the area.
“Basically,” Taylor said, “it’s the right thing to do.”
People wishing to donate to this food drive may visit the co-op with an offering of card, cash or check. The money will be used to buy quality food for those in need of it. Donors may also purchase items from the co-op to donate. Needs differ from month to month, but the items most needed at the food shelf this month are rice meals, cereal, toilet paper, canned fruit, size four and five diapers and baby wipes.
The Minnesota Street Market Food and Art Co-op.
The St. Joseph Food Shelf.
Inside the St. Joseph Food Shelf on Nov. 29, it appears much like a regular grocery store. Several shelves are filled with quality goods made possible through the Minnesota Street Market.
