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By Ann Marie Mershon - Boreal Community Media - March 19, 2024

Feeling hungry? You don’t know the half of it. When I’m hungry, it’s a fleeting problem, usually about being too busy and not taking the time to eat. There’s always food available—all I have to do is wander into the kitchen to see what I can whip up.

Well, what if the cupboards are bare? When I was in college, I was a “Big Sister” to an energetic eight-year-old in South Minneapolis. During one of my visits, she complained about being hungry. I had no cash to treat her to an ice cream cone, so I offered to fix something for her in their apartment. I’ll never forget opening the cupboards to find only salt, pepper, and baking soda. Nothing else. Not even flour or sugar. What an eye-opener that was.

Too many families in Cook County face empty cupboards. According to the Cook County Health Assessment (2023), “520 individuals in Cook County could be defined as ‘Food insecure,’ representing 9.6% of the population.” I find that inexcusable in a county where our median household income is $71,000 (U.S. Census, 2022). 

Food insecurity is defined by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as “the lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life.” In 2021, 9.1% of Cook County residents had an income below the poverty level, which is currently $30,000 for a family of four ($14,580 for a single person).

Unfortunately, not everyone who is food insecure has a low enough income to qualify for federal nutrition programs. Feeding America estimates that over a third of food-insecure families don’t qualify for programs like the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) or the Women Infants and Children Nutrition Program (WIC).

Many local organizations and individuals are doing their best to remedy this situation. As they say, “It takes a village.” 

Empty Bowls, a local non-profit that works to battle food insecurity in Cook County, MN, has been a leader in the charge. In 2022 they donated over $87,000 to 26 organizations distributing food for local residents. 

Thanks, too, to the North Shore Federal Credit Union for their Hunger Heroes program, which has donated over $311,000 to local food shelves and programs since 2016.

We can also applaud the State of Minnesota for offering free breakfast and lunch to all students, lifting the stigma of applying for free and reduced lunch benefits. It’s an expensive program that will hopefully pay off in both well-fed students and improved school achievement.

So what food programs do we offer locally, and how can people access them?

Food Shelf

Both Grand Marais and Grand Portage offer a food shelf where families can access a selection of food items each month.

The Cook County Food Shelf, located at the First Congregational Church, serves 190 families in the area. It’s open every Monday from 3 to 5 pm and the first Wednesday of each month from 4:30 to 6:30 (at the time of this publication. Please contact the food shelf for the most updated information). Families can take one bag of pre-packed groceries per month as well as three food vouchers for local grocery stores ($50-$70, depending on family size). The food distribution is supplied by Second Harvest Northland as well as local donations from Empty Bowls, the Cook County Co-op, and individuals. “We’d love to offer more to people, but we’re limited by space to store the food,” says Food Shelf Director, Gwen Lenz.

Editor’s note: Recently, two Cook County residents started a '52-week food shelf challenge' at all the major grocery stores in Grand Marais. You can read more about that here (including how to donate).

The Grand Portage Food Shelf operates similarly to the Grand Marais program, except that families can pick up their food between 8 and 4 Monday through Friday at Grand Portage Human Services (218-475-2453). 

Distributions at Cook County Food Shelves more than tripled from 2021 to 2022. The need is great.

Ruby’s Pantry

It became apparent to me that food insecurity in Cook County is a big issue when I started volunteering with Ruby’s Pantry. For the past eight years, this pop-up food distribution has offered monthly food shares for $25 (previously $20), ranging in value from $60 to over $150. Food is trucked up to Grand Marais and an army of volunteers sort and package food into shares, which vary from month to month but always include protein, dairy, fruits and/or vegetables, and carbs. They often include fresh produce. Ruby’s offers free shares for those who can’t afford the $25. It’s no surprise, given income statistics, that nearly a third of the recipients get a free share. Ruby’s has served between 150 and 400 families each month (the highest numbers during the pandemic).

Sponsored by the Spirit of the Wilderness Church, Ruby’s Pantry is open on the second Tuesday of each month from 5:00 to 6:30. During the winter months it’s held at Cook County High School, and April through October it’s held at the Cook County Community Center.

Related: Today! Ruby's Pantry March distribution date change to March 19

Beth Kennedy poses with a Ruby’s Pantry share (April 2018)

Second Harvest Mobile Food Pantry

On the fourth Wednesday of each month, the Second Harvest Mobile Food Pantry delivers food packages for qualifying individuals in Cook County. They distribute food from 11:30 to 12:00 at the Grand Portage Community Center, and from 1:30 to 2:00 at the Cook County Community Center. Participants are asked to provide the number of people in the household as well as household income (no proof required).

Grand Portage Food Distribution Program

Grand Portage has a monthly food distribution program for low-income families, with the amount of food based on the number of people in the household. For more information, contact Tina Deschampe, 218-475-2480.

Other programs

Cook County has several other programs that support individuals who might be food insecure:

• Grand Portage Elderly Food and Nutrition Program (218-475-2655)

• Senior meals at The Hub (218-387-2660)

• Senior lunch at Birch Grove (no reservation needed) 

• Nutrition for Seniors, income-based for age 60+ with monthly deliveries. Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, 218-727-5653, ext. 112

• Lutheran Social Services Meals to Go, 14 frozen meals shipped for $136.50 (waivers available for qualified individuals). Order online or call 877-287-0768. 

• The Backpack Program, supported by Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank (sign up through the school, 218-387-2271, ext. 406)

• SNAP (apply through Cook County Public Health & Human Services, 218-387-3620)

• WIC (apply through Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, 218-387-2330 or Grand Portage Health Services, 218-475-2235)

• Cook County YMCA free snacks for children (in the entryway)

• Small Requests: If you know of someone who’s falling through the cracks, contact Donna Lunke for help and information (218-370-0863)

What can you do?

If you’d like your donation to be distributed to several local organizations, you can donate online to Empty Bowls. Another option is to sign up for the Hunger Heroes program at the North Shore Federal Credit Union.

You can donate to the Food Shelf by sending a check to the Cook County Food Shelf, PO Box 95, Grand Marais, MN 55604, or sending a check to Grand Portage Human Services (note that it’s a food shelf donation), 2 Casino Drive, Grand Portage, MN 55605.

You might prefer to fund free food shares for needy families by donating directly to Ruby’s Pantry. Write a check to Ruby’s Pantry and send it to Spirit of the Wilderness Church, c/o Karl Hansen, PO Box 275, Grand Marais, MN 55604. 

You’re also welcome to volunteer at Ruby’s Pantry. Watch their Facebook page for information or contact Beth Kennedy to sign up for their emails ([email protected]).

Finally, you can participate in the '52-week food shelf challenge'. 

It does take a village, so jump right in to assist as you can.