The hunger relief organizations in our network depend on our support every single day; without EFN’s services, particularly the access we provide to a wide variety of fresh, nutritious food, these agencies would not have the resources to serve the escalating number of Minnesotans in need of emergency food assistance.
We strive to give our network hunger relief programs a “grocery store” experience each time they place an order with us. As the Network’s grocery store, EFN’s job is to make available a wide variety of nutritious prepared, perishable and non-perishable food to meet the specific cultural and dietary needs of the individuals and families served by our agencies.
And unlike most grocery stores, EFN provides more than just food. We also offer free monthly deliveries as well as sophisticated IT services to help our agencies manage their organizations and track the clients they serve with ease.
The primary “customers” of EFN’s grocery store are the foodshelves and on-site meal programs in our network. EFN distributes food to these agencies, and they, in turn, provide food directly to individuals and families.
EFN foodshelves and on-site meal programs use our resources to serve individuals and families facing hunger in different ways. Below is a list of the distinguishing features of each:
Foodshelves
· Each serves a specific geographic area or cultural group
· Distribute to clients on a monthly basis
· Require mostly non-perishable food and hygiene items
· Must provide a minimum of 15 pounds (about 1 bag of groceries) of food per person per family
· Clients typically must make an appointment and provide proof of address to qualify for services
On-Site Meal Programs
· Serve one to three hot meals per day
· Require prepared and perishable food for ready-to-eat meals
· Not restricted to any particular geographic area or cultural group
· Clients served on a walk-in basis
For more information about the valuable benefits EFN offers its member foodshelves and on-site meal programs, please read on in the “Agency Support” section of our website.