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About Us

Who We Are
The Great Plains Food Bank is North Dakota’s largest hunger-relief organization. Our vision is to create a hunger free North Dakota and Clay County, Minnesota by recovering and distributing surplus food, engaging in community partnerships and advocating for social change. We form the backbone of organizations working together to efficiently alleviate hunger in 54 counties across North Dakota and western Minnesota. The Great Plains Food Bank has been feeding children, seniors and working families for more than 25 years – touching the lives of 1 in 12 North Dakotans who seek food assistance each year. 

What We Do
We strive to end hunger effectively and efficiently.  This means working with a wide array of organizations - from corporations to church groups - on an ongoing basis, carefully guiding all donated food and funds to pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters and other charitable feeding programs serving those who are hungry or homeless.  

Efficiency is key to all we do, because in the world of hunger-relief, waste is unacceptable.  To that end, the hard work of our network of partner feeding programs, volunteers and donors allows our food bank to be as efficient as possible, meaning that for every $1 donated, the Great Plains Food Bank will distribute $11 worth of food to those in need.  Our streamlined process turns every $50 donation into 250 meals.  Every single dollar donated becomes five meals for a child, adult or senior in need.

The Great Plains Food Bank goes beyond simply collecting food and donations.  Through our many programs and services, we empower others to help the hungry.  These programs give you the opportunity to get involved in any number of ways, from creating your own Food & Fund drive to donating food via your mailbox.

In the fight against hunger, it’s important to make our voices heard.  The Great Plains Food Bank is on the steps of the North Dakota and U.S. Capitols, educating elected officials about the importance of issues such as continued support for federal aid programs such as Supplimental Nutritional Assistance Program (food stamps); Women, Infants and Children (WIC); the need for constant access to fresh milk for nutritionally challenged kids, and virtually any other topic that can have an impact on our nation’s hungry.

How We Do It
The Great Plains Food Bank is one of 19 programs operated under Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota.

We are also a member of Feeding America, a national network of more than 200 food banks serving every state in the United States.  Membership means access to millions of pounds of surplus food and grocery donations from manufacturers and producers throughout the country.

Working with our network of partner feeding programs, volunteers and donors as well as people like you, our 36,000 square feet of dry, refrigerator and freezer space is constantly accepting and distributing donations.  Our fleet of trucks travels nearly half a million miles a year, picking up food donations and delivering them to local food shelves, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, senior community centers and children's after school programs.

The Great Plains Food Bank works hard every day in the fight against hunger, but we can’t do it alone.  Ending hunger is a shared responsibility, and the right thing to do.  Together we will create a hunger-free North Dakota and western Minnesota.  Please join us. 

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