Creating a Hunger Free North Dakota Study Provides Recommendations to Enhance Charitable Feeding Network

6/24/2008

Findings from the first-ever study of North Dakota’s charitable feeding network, Creating a Hunger Free North Dakota 2008, were annouced today. This study provides comprehensive and authoritative data on the strengths, weakness and opportunities for improving the state’s charitable feeding network that serves individuals and families. It includes an in-depth look at both existing services and the potential for increasing capacity for current and potential food providers.

The North Dakota charitable feeding network is a statewide system of more than 130 nonprofit soup kitchens, shelter feeding programs and food pantries supplied in part with food by the Great Plains Food Bank in Fargo, which receives donated surplus food from the food industry; and Community Action Programs which receive USDA commodities through the state.

KEY FINDINGS

The study reveals that one in 12 North Dakotans is served by the North Dakota charitable feeding network each year – this at a time when donations of shelf-stable food are decreasing and demand for the emergency food is increasing. Key findings of this study include:

* Significant portions of North Dakota are under-served by the charitable feeding network. * Clients encounter barriers in accessing the network. * Providers are strained by increased demand and limited resources. * Providers expand and adapt their services to meet client needs. * Sources and types of food used by the network are changing. * Opportunities exist for stronger collaboration between the charitable feeding network and federal nutrition programs.

SOLUTIONS

In response to these findings, the Great Plains Food Bank is launching several new initiatives to better serve clients statewide in partnership with Community Action Programs and local groups.

A Mobile Food Pantry, a Prepackage Food Basket Program and expanded rural delivery service will allow the Great Plains Food Bank to get more food out into under-served communities that do not have, or can’t support a traditional food pantry or could benefit from additional resources. By bringing food closer to the people who need it, gaps in service will be eliminated and challenges faced by providers such as limited storage, aging volunteers and rising transportation costs can be avoided.

The Great Plains Food Bank will be working with major national retailers and local grocery outlets to recover and distribute an increasing availability of perishable food products. And in an effort to support the existing charitable network, the food bank is enhancing member support services with additional staff to work even more closely with member agencies to strengthen their organizations, build capacity and serve more people.

The North Dakota Department of Human Services (DHS) is joining forces in the Hunger Free North Dakota effort. According to 2005 statistics, 57 percent of people who are eligible for the federal food assistance program are actually enrolled to receive benefits. DHS Executive Director Carol K. Olson said the department welcomes the opportunity to coordinate outreach and to partner with the charitable feeding network to help additional qualified people access the program.

FUNDING and METHODOLOGY

Funding for the study was provided by the Otto Bremer Foundation. Project partners include the Great Plains Food Bank, North Dakota Community Action Partnership, the North Dakota Department of Commerce, NDSU Extension Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center.

The study included a series of statewide provider and client focus groups, a post card survey completed by more than 1,800 households and a questionnaire distributed to all existing emergency food providers. Complete details about the methodology are available in the full report, which can be accessed at www.lssnd.org/GreatPlainsFoodBank.