MPLS Manna
Million LBS of Food
($1.66 Million of Food Relief Annually)
2021 we are beginning to give away 500-600 tons of food annually. This equals over $1.66 million in food relief (USDA values groceries at $1.66/lb)
Helping rebuild and restore Mpls
Source is located in the East Lake Street neighborhoods that was the epicenter of the 2020 unrest where over 200 buildings were burnt down or heavily vandalized. Over 100 languages are spoken here along with shelters and group homes. It has also been considered a Food Desert (area where little access to food shelves or grocery stores for low income families with limited transportation) for many years. One third to 40 % of our food shelf families are pedestrians. We will give over 100 tons of food to pedestrians this year. Food security is a crucial factor to stabilizing families in need.
2020 response and continued help
In 2019 we our food shelf was giving away 20 tons of food annually. Covid and Mpls Unrest created a food crisis for the homeless and families in poverty. Source quick response included 30,000 meals and the summer of 2020 (June-Aug) we increased our food shelf to 200 tons. We are currently on pace to give away 500-600 tons (over a million Lbs.) annually.
The cost of providing over $1.66 million of relief is an increase of $100,000 of annual operating expense and $100,000 of facility renovations.
Helping impoverished families and homeless stabilize
Source’s Mpls Manna Million Lbs. of Food will help families stabilize and provide ongoing relief to the homeless.
Second harvest reports 1 in 8 families go hungry in the state of MN and that number is significantly larger in urban areas. The security of basic physical needs reduces the impact of poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, domestic abuse and drug abuse.
Our food programs are also a bridge to connect individuals with resources for families, housing, health, addiction recovery, education and employment. The programs provide people in need the option of eating healthy food, being able to pay rent, providing hot meals to the homeless, helping small businesses become operational again, helping teenagers with mentorship programs, and responding to the needs of the Latino community.
The individuals, families and communities of East Lake Street have gone through a community trauma in 2020. Many are still processing it and with the uncertainties of 2021 continue to live in that trauma. The more we can provide physical needs then the more individuals can deal with recovering from the trauma in healthy ways.
A Community helping the community
Volunteers, resources and donations needed. The increase of our food distribution has grown over 25-fold in a short amount of time. Dozens of volunteers are needed each week, as we host 2 distributions weekly from our community center and host a monthly outdoor give away at the historic Lake Street Kmart parking lot. The heart of providing food relief is to gather a community of individuals and congregations to rise up and help our community members in need.
Donations are also needed. The cost of providing over $1.66 million of relief is an increase of $100,000 of annual operating expense and $100,000 of facility renovations.
Thank you to all the volunteers who been part of the thousands of volunteers hours and for the generosity of supporters on the past. We could not do this without you.