PEQUOT LAKES — The town of Nisswa donated $25,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds to the Lakes Space Meals Shelf in Pequot Lakes final month as meals cabinets throughout the state battle with rising meals costs and demand.

In March, when the Lakes Space Meals Shelf first started to see a spike in visitation, they gave shows to Nisswa and different space metropolis councils to ask for his or her assist.

Nisswa Metropolis Council member Jesse Zahn drove the choice to focus on the cash to the meals shelf. He was obsessed with the necessity to spend federal {dollars} to instantly help native residents.

The council unanimously agreed and voted June 21 to donate to the meals shelf.

“We’re actually completely happy to have it and honored to have it,” stated Mark Casey, Lakes Space Meals Shelf board member. “However that cash is already gone.”

LAFS and different meals cabinets are seeing the identical issues consumers are seeing: increased costs and fewer meals accessible.

“These are our buddies; these are our neighbors,” stated Kathy Adams, LAFS director. “We’re a neighborhood, and that’s what the meals shelf is for.”

Megan Buffington / Echo Journal

As meals costs go up, many households have to show to different assets just like the meals shelf. At the same time as their costs rise, meals cabinets have seen a dramatic enhance in neighborhood want within the final yr.

In 2021, LAFS served 4,657 folks. By means of June 2022, they’ve served 5,000.

Each LAFS and the Pine River-Backus Household Heart’s meals shelf in Pine River have additionally struggled with sourcing some meals. The cabinets get a majority of their meals from Second Harvest, a meals shelf distributor that enables cabinets to buy upward of thrice as a lot meals for a similar worth as they might at a typical grocery retailer.

By means of the summer season, like different consumers across the nation, Second Harvest was unable to offer some merchandise, like peanut butter or bread and different grains.

Megan Buffington / Echo Journal

Regardless of these difficulties, the meals cabinets persevered. They purchased from native grocery shops, accepted donations and noticed unimaginable help from their communities, just like the donation from the Nisswa Metropolis Council and donations from space organizations, companies, church buildings and grocery shops.
Inflation stays excessive. Whereas the price of residing stays excessive, extra folks might have to show to the meals shelf for assist.

“We see on common 5 to 10 new households per week, which is big for us,” Adams stated in July.

Some folks could also be nervous or hesitant about visiting a meals shelf, however each the Pequot Lakes and Pine River meals cabinets try to be welcoming and respectful.

“Your privateness is necessary,” stated LuAnn Gravelle, workplace supervisor and meals shelf coordinator in Pine River. “We would like you to really feel such as you’re coming to a grocery retailer.”

Megan Buffington / Echo Journal

Whereas ideally costs will drop, meals cabinets depend on the continuous help from the neighborhood to live on and serve these in want.

Financial donations are greatest for meals cabinets which have the connections to assets like Second Harvest, the place they’ll buy extra with the identical quantity another person might at a grocery retailer.

Cabinets additionally admire meals donations, each contemporary produce and nonperishables, volunteers and help for his or her occasions.

Lakes Space Meals Shelf’s annual fundraiser, the Nisswa Christmas House Tour, is very necessary to them. This October would be the 31st fundraiser, with all ticket proceeds going to the meals shelf.

For extra data or to buy a ticket, go to lafshometour.com.

Each meals cabinets are appreciative of the assistance they obtain from the neighborhood and need to be sure that it’s identified.

“Our continued help from everyone seems to be so necessary to us,” stated Gravelle. “Thanks.”

Megan Buffington, Echo Journal reporter, could also be reached at megan.buffington@pineandlakes.com. She is a 2021 Pequot Lakes Excessive College graduate who attends the College of Nebraska-Lincoln.