Minnesota Food Share Month at ICA

On a sunny December day, Caroline came to ICA for her first-ever shopping appointment. Feeling a bit nervous, she was greeted by ICA staff member Katie, who offered to help her navigate the food shelf. "There are so many options! I can choose from all three sections? This will feed us for days! I’m already at $50 worth of food! This is too much," Caroline exclaimed, her voice catching as she wiped away a tear. "I’m already meal planning in my head. This will be a week of feasting like we haven't had for years.”
 
Thanks to 71 pounds of food, the countless volunteer and staff hours that make it all possible, and your support, Caroline was able to provide nourishing meals for her family while also catching up on bills.

ICA is seeing record numbers of families visiting the food shelf. With over 1000 families visiting each month, our food stock is in constant need of being replenished. Traditionally the spring is a time when contributions of food and financial support begin to decline. In response ICA joins the hundreds of other food shelves in Minnesota to encourage contributions during March Food Share month. It’s the second most important time of the year for food and financial contributions.

To ensure we can continue to provide for neighbors like Caroline we need a significant community response. You can make a difference by helping ICA collect 150,000 lbs. of food and $250,000 during the month of March. All Saints has a goal of filling our pallet tote with 500 pounds of food. Last year we collected over 700 pounds and filled two pallet totes!
 
You can bring your gifts of food to All Saints anytime during the month of March. And you can make financial gifts directly to ICA via their website. When you make a gift through ICA’s website be sure to indicate that you are a member of All Saints.

It might also be helpful to know that ICA provides more than just food for our neighbors in need. We think of our services as encompassing: Food, Jobs, and Housing. In 2023 ICA supported our neighbors with more than 1,000 employment services. And we were able to keep more than 400 individuals in their homes with rental assistance.
 
Thank you for ALL you do to help ICA care for those in our community who need a little extra support. Your gifts matter and are making a difference for the thousands of people like Caroline who come seeking help. Thank you!!
 
Dan Narr, ICA Executive Director