Over 5,000 items collected during the 2024 Weekly Food Shelf Challenge for local food shelves
Feb 15, 2025 05:26AM ● By Content Editor
Photo: Maria Lin Kim via Unsplash.com
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - February 15, 2025
The 52-Week Food Shelf Challenge is back for 2025 after a successful run in 2024.
Last year, local residents Donna and Orvis Lunke started the 52-Week Food Shelf Challenge, as a way to increase food shelf donations and help combat food insecurity in Cook County and Grand Portage. The challenge is simple: each week, the Lunkes announce a specific food or toiletry item that aligns with what the Grand Marais and Grand Portage food shelves need. There is also a monthly "extra" theme or item. These are typically popular items the food shelves are often in need of.
At each of the three grocery stores in Grand Marais (Cook County Co-op, Gene's Foods, and Johnson's Foods), there is a cart, box, or basket near the front doors of each location where people can place requested items.
Halfway through the 2024 52-Week Challenge, Donna shared with Boreal Community Media that 1896 weekly items had been received, as well as 596 monthly extras, equaling 2492 items donated to both food shelves. Donna shared that 5,073 items were collected in 2024. "Thanks for making our 2024 Food Challenge a huge success for our Grand Portage and Grand Marais food shelves," she said.
As we head into 2025, the Lunkes will continue leading the challenge for a second year, with all three grocery stores on board once again as collection sites. The format will remain the same. If you'd like to participate, you can find the 'item of the week' posted in the Cook County Community Conversation Facebook Group, the Grand Marais MN Community Page, and The Laundromat Bulletin Board - Grand Marais Facebook Group.
Related: Meet your Cook County neighbor: Donna Lunke
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - February 15, 2025
The 52-Week Food Shelf Challenge is back for 2025 after a successful run in 2024.
Last year, local residents Donna and Orvis Lunke started the 52-Week Food Shelf Challenge, as a way to increase food shelf donations and help combat food insecurity in Cook County and Grand Portage. The challenge is simple: each week, the Lunkes announce a specific food or toiletry item that aligns with what the Grand Marais and Grand Portage food shelves need. There is also a monthly "extra" theme or item. These are typically popular items the food shelves are often in need of.
At each of the three grocery stores in Grand Marais (Cook County Co-op, Gene's Foods, and Johnson's Foods), there is a cart, box, or basket near the front doors of each location where people can place requested items.
Halfway through the 2024 52-Week Challenge, Donna shared with Boreal Community Media that 1896 weekly items had been received, as well as 596 monthly extras, equaling 2492 items donated to both food shelves. Donna shared that 5,073 items were collected in 2024. "Thanks for making our 2024 Food Challenge a huge success for our Grand Portage and Grand Marais food shelves," she said.
As we head into 2025, the Lunkes will continue leading the challenge for a second year, with all three grocery stores on board once again as collection sites. The format will remain the same. If you'd like to participate, you can find the 'item of the week' posted in the Cook County Community Conversation Facebook Group, the Grand Marais MN Community Page, and The Laundromat Bulletin Board - Grand Marais Facebook Group.
Related: Meet your Cook County neighbor: Donna Lunke
