1976 – The Hennepin County Emergency Food Shelves (HCEFS) Organization incorporates in the state of Minnesota. (Pictured above/below)
1977 – HCEFS begins distributing emergency food to 15 “member” agencies. Its main office is a rented classroom on the first floor of the Sabathani Community Center in South Minneapolis.
1983 – HCEFS receives financial support from the United Way to make operating and infrastructure improvements including the three staff and the purchase of one truck to collect and distribute food. Sarah Burton-Marshall is hired as Executive Coordinator to lead the organization.
1984 – HCEFS expands its food drive and bulk purchasing programs
1986 – HCEFS changes its name to the Emergency Foodshelf Network (EFN) and hires Noelle MacMillian as its new Executive Coordinator.
1987 – EFN creates a new logo and organization tagline. (Pictured above/below)
1990 – John Mitchell is hired as a driver in the Transportation Dept. (He receives numerous promotions to eventually become head of the department - a position he still occupies today – making him the longest-tenured employee in the organization’s history.)
1991 – EFN begins providing culturally specific foods for its member agencies
1992 - EFN purchases its first building in Northeast Minneapolis. It has an office, conference room, and a warehouse with one dock door for deliveries.
1993 – Board of Directors undergoes a two-year restructuring process resulting in a mandate that 2/3 of the board members represent community businesses and social service organizations. Previously, all board members represented network agencies.
1994 – EFN hires Tim Barnes as Executive Director to lead the organization.
1996 – EFN expands its services outside Hennepin County for the first time.
1996 – Organization assets reach $1,000,000 for the first time.
1997 – The number of members in the EFN network grows to 25.
1998 - EFN purchases its St. Louis Park, Minnesota building.
1998 – EFN collectively provides its member agencies an estimated $1,000,000 in benefits and savings through a variety of services (including the delivery of food at no charge and the opportunity to purchase foods in bulk at below retail prices).
1998 – EFN begins its partnership with the Downtown Council of Minneapolis as the charity host of the Holidazzle Parade.
1999 – EFN begins delivering quality food staples to area subsidized housing complexes through a new program called High Rise.
2002 - EFN purchases a warehouse in Burnsville, Minnesota to accommodate food inventory overflows.
2002 – EFN acquires the Fare For All organization from Ramsey Action Program (RAP).
2003 – EFN and Rainbow Foods launch “The Rainbow Initiative,” a joint promotion aimed at increasing the amount of free food distributed to foodshelves located in communities where Rainbow stores operate. In its first