I recently saw at a Ramsey County library that there was a new shelf with bags of food for anyone in need, plus a community table to donate or take other items like clothing. I thought this was wonderful.
The bags contain 4-5 pounds of food and there were different ones for different cultural dietary preferences: Blue Bag for East African, Orange Bag for Latino, Purple Bag for Southeast Asian, Yellow Bag for ready-to-eat items, and a Green Bag for more general items.
I love this. Every Meal, formerly the Sheridan Story, was created in Minnesota to fight child hunger by providing weekend food to kids in need.
But they don’t just provide food for kids. Everyone deserves good, healthful food. And Every Meal provides food bags for easy pickup at various locations in the Twin Cities.
These food bags include shelf-stable food, and anyone can receive the food.
Where to get the food?
There are many YMCA locations, recreation centers, libraries, fire stations and other sites participating.
In Ramsey County, for example, you can find the bags at the Shoreview, Maplewood and Mounds View libraries.
Hennepin County has a free interactive food map.
Check each county for info:
Hennepin County Food Resources
Washington County Food Resources
This is also another great resource for the Anoka County area – it’s an ongoing list of free food distributions.
Don’t see your county? Check your county’s website for resources.
Also, you don’t have to live in the county you’re picking up a food bag in. Food is available to all.
How to get the food?
Simply go to the entrance and look for the bags on a shelf and take one, or go to the front desk and ask for a bag of food. No questions will be asked.
Note that hours vary by location.
More Food Resources:
Hunger Solutions has the best resource for finding free meals in Minnesota. They have an interactive map showing locations offering free meals.
USDA Mapping Tool – Nutritious free meals are available for children and teens 18 and younger at many locations throughout the nation throughout the summer while school is out of session.
Free Meals for Kids app – This app for Minnesota is powered by GPS to help you find free and nutritious meals for kids near you. You can download it for free in the Google Play Store.