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Dist. 5950 clubs unite to beat local hunger
Eighteen local Rotary clubs are banding together in a unique new partnership with Hunger-Free Minnesota.
Rotary District 5950 (encompassing 63 clubs in Minneapolis area central Minnesota) recently forged an important partnership with Hunger-Free Minnesota that empowers Rotarians to help fight hunger in their own communities.
Hunger-Free Minnesota donated $40,000, to which District 5950 added $25,000 and split amongst 18 individual Rotary clubs, to be used to boost local food shelves’ capacity for storing and distributing food to needy families. Clubs were also asked to contribute sweat equity and pitch in additional funding; clubs are donating nearly $18,000 from their own accounts. All told, community food shelves are receiving nearly $83,000 of support from Rotarians.
The 18 Rotary clubs and 13 non-profit organizations participating in the grant project include:
| Rotary Club | Partnering Organization | Project |
| Fairmont | Martin Co. Food Shelf at the Salvation Army | Purchase freezer and related equipment |
| Minneapolis City of Lakes | Community Emergency Service | Add refrigeration unit to delivery van |
| Hutchinson, Glencoe | McLeod Emergency Food Shelf | Purchase refrigeration units |
| Mound Westonka | WeCAN | Purchase used delivery van |
| Brooklyn Park | Minnesota Emergency Food Network | Build raised-bed gardens |
| Bloomington Noon | VEAP | Purchase kitchen equipment for new facility |
| Rogers | CROSS | Additional shelving for food shelf area |
| Buffalo | Buffalo Food Shelf | Purchase used delivery van |
| Waconia-West Carver | Waconia United Food | Develop new website and create ability to accept online donations |
| North Minneapolis, Minneapolis University | Northpoint Health and Wellness Center | Purchase refrigeration units |
| Golden Valley, Crystal-New Hope | PRISM | Marketing materials and display containers |
| Burnsville Breakfast, Burnsville | 360 Communities | Purchase refrigerators and freezers |
| Eden Prairie A.M., Eden Prairie Noon | PROP | Purchase used delivery van |
Grants will not be used to simply buy food—the goal of the partnership is to increase food access for important demographic groups (i.e. families with children, seniors, the disabled and immigrant households) by expanding the capacity of neighborhood food shelves. Those food shelves agreed to sustain the project at least six months after the grant period ends.
“The district is thrilled to enter into this partnership with Hunger-Free Minnesota, which will engage Rotarians to make a real difference for their neighbors,” says Diann Kirby, District 5950 Governor. “This is a wonderful example of the powerful impact we can make when Rotarians work together with their communities to improve the lives of everyone around them.”