Pack the Porches Food and Fund Drive Received Nearly 4,500 Pounds of Food and More Than $23,000

Today’s 11th annual Pack the Porches food and fund drive, benefiting Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf, received 4,403 pounds of food and $23,011 in donated funds during the six-hour event from 7 am to 1 pm. Thank you to Coborn’s for matching all food and fund donations up to $10,000.

Pack the Porches curbside drop-off locations were again located at Pioneer Place on Fifth, St. Cloud; and St. Cloud Hyundai, Waite Park. Catholic Charities Emergency Services also received food donations, and funds were received online through Catholic Charities website at ccstcloud.org.

Several businesses across the St. Cloud area also hosted Pack the Porches food and fund drives, leading up to today’s event, with some continuing throughout the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign, which ends April 11.

“While COVID-19 continues to affect our community, helping neighbors experiencing hunger is more important than ever. Catholic Charities is grateful and overwhelmed by our community’s response during this time of unparalleled need. One in nine people, right here in our community, are unable to fill their cupboards and feed their children. While we’re all concerned with our own health and safety, our community has stepped forward to address the needs of others,” said Steve Pareja, Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

Food and funds from the event support Catholic Charities Food Shelf, serving the communities of St. Cloud, St. Augusta, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park and Sartell.

Catholic Charities Emergency Services Modified Donation Hours

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholic Charities Emergency Services is accepting food donations during limited hours through a drop-off model on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 12:30 and 1:30 pm at the loading area of its location at 157 Roosevelt Rd, St. Cloud, Door D. Outside of these hours, contact info@ccstcloud.org or 320-229-4560 to coordinate another drop-off time.

Please do not leave donations outside our doors. Donations must be collected and weighed by Catholic Charities staff to ensure food safety standards and inventory tracking. Funds can be donated online at ccstcloud.org/donate.

Catholic Charities Food Shelf Distribution

Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf is open for limited food distribution. Households will receive a monthly pre-packed food relief serve on Wednesdays from 3 pm to 7 pm, and Fridays from 9 am to 12 pm. Please contact Emergency Services at 320-229-4560 if needing to receive an additional serve in the month.

Catholic Charities Food Shelf distribution provides a monthly pre-packed food relief serve that’s packaged in a grocery cart of 120 to 200 pounds of food, depending on size of household.

For senior citizens age 60 and over, a monthly pre-packed food relief serve is available the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 1 pm to 3 pm. In partnership with Catholic Charities Senior Dining, frozen meals are also available to those registered with Catholic Charities Senior Dining program. Seniors can also register on-site during these hours.

Distribution is provided through a walk-up service model; no appointment needed. Social distancing precautions must be taken. Individuals must be at least six feet apart from one another while on premises. We request one individual at a time approach the distribution table.

About Minnesota FoodShare and the March Campaign

Minnesota FoodShare is an interfaith organization aiming to fight food insecurity and raise awareness of it among Minnesota communities. The Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign is the largest annual grassroots food and fund drive in the state, and helps to stock nearly 300 food shelves statewide. During the 2020 March Campaign, more than 21.5 million dollars and over 7.4 million pounds of food shelf items were raised by Minnesota food shelves.

To date, Minnesota FoodShare has distributed over 18 million dollars to March Campaign participating food shelves via the Minnesota FoodShare FoodFund. 100 percent of donations received by Minnesota FoodShare during the March Campaign go into the FoodFund and are distributed to March Campaign participating food shelves, including Catholic Charities.

Minnesota FoodShare envisions a future where all Minnesotans have access to healthy food and no one struggles with food insecurity. The March Campaign addresses these issues directly and Minnesota FoodShare invites you to join their efforts and advocate for long-term solutions to food insecurity and poverty in our communities.

Minnesota FoodShare began its work in 1982 with a campaign advanced by congregations to restock food shelves in the 7-county Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. The effort was so successful and the need was so evident, the March Campaign became a statewide program just one year later.