With the grocery stores having record sales days, it’s easy to forget that not everyone has the money to stock up on groceries. For some, this time of year is especially hard because they make their living working in restaurants, bars, hotels, and performing other types of service industry work, most of which is now shut down.
That’s where the food shelf comes in.
The Cook County Food Shelf is still open every Monday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to serve the community.
But right about now, the Food Shelf could use some help.
The North Shore community frequently steps up to help the Cook County Food Shelf financially. Various groups host fundraisers and food drives throughout the year. Generous citizens drop checks in the mail or non-perishable items in shopping carts at local grocery stores. But did you know there is another way to help the food shelf? There is always a need for volunteers to help organize and distribute the food to clients. Even under these trying times, volunteers can come forward to aid their fellow citizens.
“Like everyone else, We need to be careful and keep safe distances,” said Gwen Lenz, a food shelf volunteer coordinator.
Volunteers are needed to help unload the delivery truck, pack up bags and boxes for recipients, pick up the groceries donated at Gene’s IGA or Johnson’s Foods or the Wholefoods Coop and then bring them to the Food Shelf.
Volunteers are needed during the “open hours” of 3 – 5 p.m. each Monday. Volunteers work in pairs to help their neighbors in the weekly food distribution.
The other tasks—organizing and boxing up food and transporting food items from grocery stores to the Food Shelf can be done anytime the church is open, and there is access to the Food Shelf area.
For the time being, Lenz said, “We have a few volunteers who are willing to pick up or deliver food, but we haven’t asked them to do this yet. We have different ways we are going to try to take information about the size of households who need food and provide as much food as possible. We only have what we have,” she added.
The Food Shelf is located in the lower level of the First Congregational Church (3rd Avenue and 2nd Street) in Grand Marais.
The Food Shelf accepts all kinds of food, even snacks, and fresh and some frozen food donations, but please don’t drop off food at the church doors, “We don’t live there,” said Lenz.
Donations of food can also be dropped off at the Wholefoods Coop, Gene’s IGA, or Johnson’s Foods.
The Food Shelf also accepts donations of food for pets. And of course, financial contributions are appreciated and help the Food Shelf fill in gaps of food items. Monetary donations may be sent to Cook County Food Shelf, P.O. Box 51, Grand Marais, MN 55604.
If any of these volunteer activities interest you, contact Gwen Lenz or Steve Deschene at (218) 387-9860 for more information.
“We are in this together,” said Gwen.
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