EFN’s Guiding Principles
For over 30 years, EFN’s service to the Minnesota community has been guided by three main principles: Quality, Value, and Efficiency. Hungry people really do come first at EFN!
QUALITY: We believe that quality food equals dignity. We provide quality food products to those experiencing hunger that is as close as possible to what they would provide to their families if they had the means to do so. We certify that 95% of the food we provide to our network is quality and nutritious. Food to us is not just calories; it is an indicator of our commitment to nutrition, well-balanced diets, and respect for those who ask for and need our help. EFN’s commitment to quality extends to the interactions and relationships we seek to build and maintain with hunger relief organizations and the community at large.
VALUE: Providing value to its network is what EFN is all about! We provide over $10 million in benefits and savings to our network in 2007. It starts with our guarantee that food donated by the community will always be available to member programs for free/no cost. We cultivate donations of first-rate, desirable foods and we offer bulk-purchasing opportunities that help agencies stretch their food budgets by accessing quality, hard-to-get, and culturally specific foods at discount prices. We offer information technology (I.T.) support services that include building customized computer programs for agencies to track food distribution. EFN’s services are essential cost-savers that help the hunger relief community function more efficiently and make best use of their limited resources.
EFFICIENCY: Efficiency means that we are relentless in our pursuit to make our programs and operations as effective as possible and minimize any cost burden for our member agencies. Efficiency to EFN is not just about volume or moving the most amount of food from point A to point B; rather we selectively choose to pick up, warehouse, and distribute quality foods that will ultimately contribute to the bottom line sustainability of our members. At EFN, efficiency also means a constant focus to keep our administrative and fundraising expenses low. In 2007 we spent 91 cents of every dollar raised directly on our programs…making us one of the most efficiently run nonprofits in Minnesota.
EFN Volunteers are an essential part of making EFN run efficiently on a daily basis. Volunteers help sort and package food, manage & support our special events, and provide vital administrative support throughout the year. In fact, in 2007, individual and groups volunteers logged 146,000 hours of service at EFN!
EFN's Mission What We Do General EFN Frequently Asked Questions