Grants Archive
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Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP)
March 11, 2025
Amount Requested$10,000.00
Address2120 Howard Dr. West, Suite J
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
Sheri Sander-Silva
Executive Director
Email hidden; Javascript is required.
- Food and Housing Security
Proposal Information
Funds are Being Requested for:Program Support
Mission Statement“It wasn’t my turn to eat this weekend.” - Elementary school student
This was the impetus for the community-led response that inspired Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP).
FOCP has a mission to engage our community in solving youth hunger. We envision a community where hunger is not a barrier to student success and are committed to making this vision a reality.
FOCP fulfills our mission through five core hunger relief programs: the BackPack Food Program for K-5 students, the Power Pack Program for grades 6-8, school-based food pantries for High School students, the Summer Pack Program for K-12 students, and the Summertime Outreach Meal Program, providing weekday meals for K-12 students residing in area food deserts. These programs, unique in scope and target audience, provide youth hunger relief on weekends, during school breaks, and over the summer months. Programs are intended to be available when adequate nutrition is limited or unavailable.
Amount Requested$10,000.00
Program Budget$1,245,404.00
Organizational Budget$1,245,404.00
Relationship to the Olseth Family FoundationYes
Summarize Your RequestFood serves as the essential fuel for success. FOCP is committed to nourishing young bodies and thus investing in the health and wellness of local youth. It is our hope that their dreams of today become the reality of their future.
According to the MN Department of Health, Minnesota ranks 7th worst in the nation for the share of residents with access to healthy foods. Household food insecurity – the state of not having reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food – is associated with poorer health and increased medical costs. Additional research shows that children raised in food-insecure homes suffer devastating consequences. Hunger and inadequate nutrition affect their emotional, physical, and mental well-being, impacting their overall health and future potential.
FOCP programs provide year-round, reliable access to nutrition, eliminating a large barrier for students living in food-insecure households. Food packs include shelf-stable meals and snacks with a rotating menu, accommodations for food allergies, and options that cater to cultural dietary preferences.
FOCP programs combat the effects of hunger. Teachers report a difference in the quality of life for students enrolled in FOCP programs. The top three improvements observed are increased energy levels, improved emotional health, and enhanced ability to concentrate. Additionally, teachers report an improvement in school attendance.
A teacher shared, "I now have students who come to school on Mondays eager to work! Their scores have increased, but more importantly, they are making stronger social connections with their peers."
These relied upon food resources go beyond nutrition. We hear from enrolled youth that their food makes them feel “loved” and “cared for”. That is why our enrollment is simple and our services discreet.
Overview of the Grant Request
Population ServedFood Insecure Youth in Grades K-12
Geographic Area ServedSeven school districts and 14 communities on South Central Minnesota
List Three Measurable Goals That This Funding Will Help You Achieve.FOCP’s overarching goal is to support the health and wellness of youth at all ages and stages. Three objectives that support that goal are:
Eliminate barriers to food access and expand services to meet local needs
Enhance the quality of life for students enrolled in FOCP programs
increase student success and invest in the health and wellness of area youth
FOCP services provide the launching pad for student success. The ultimate achievement is seeing kids learn and thrive in school. When kids are fed, they are ready to learn, play, participate in the community, and truly enjoy their childhood.
Given the current political climate and the uncertainty it has caused for many families, we know we will be relied upon now more than ever. As a result, we expect families to access our services more frequently. The rising costs of groceries, rent, utilities, and childcare make it challenging to predict future food support needs. Funds provided by this grant will offer FOCP the confidence to navigate an unpredictable future, enabling us to learn and adapt to family needs as necessary.
Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that our enrollment remains open to every student who needs it, without limitation. We are committed to providing access to all students, regardless of circumstances, because we believe that no child should go hungry.
How Will You Accomplish These Goals?In 2008, a “Missing Meals” report showed that in Blue Earth County alone, 1.26 million meals were missed annually. This information lit a fire of concern that inspired a coalition of compassionate leaders to take action. Two years later, a formal non-profit was formed in response, ready to take action: Feeding Our Communities Partners.
This spirit of community is what drives FOCP today. FOCP has become a leader in youth hunger relief within our region and has rallied the support of all sectors by developing and fostering relationships with the same goal: eliminating hunger.
Just as when we began, we maintain excellent relationships with individuals, businesses, school districts, educators, and social service organizations, all of which are essential to our work. We stay attuned to our community's evolving needs by having team members actively participate in boards, committees, collaboratives and business networking organizations ensuring we remain engaged and informed about emerging needs across all sectors.
The work of the organization is only made possible with the collective power of over 2,000 volunteers contributing nearly 4,000 hours of assistance annually.
Looking Forward, How Will You Measure These Goals?To gauge the growing need for our services, FOCP includes a program inquiry link on our website. This allows communities to share interest in bringing FOCP programs to their area, school or building. This tool has been helpful in assessing needs while also inspiring alternative modes of program distribution.
When our list of rural communities expressing need grew beyond our financial ability to expand, we created an alternative model. Our Affiliate Partner model allows for communities to own their role in solving youth hunger. Groups can fundraise or find sponsors to cover the cost of food, purchase FOCP curated food packs (with an array of special diet menus available), and distribute them to youth in their community. This model has been tested over the last several months and gives power to our neighboring rural communities to take action, as able.
Additionally, FOCP conducts impact evaluations each year through surveys distributed to students, teachers, and guardians. We also gather feedback from families, school staff, volunteers, and other key stakeholders throughout the year.
As a locally developed organization, FOCP has the autonomy to adapt and respond swiftly. When student surveys revealed a dislike for certain canned entrees included in food packs, we viewed it as an opportunity to make some changes. Based on this feedback, we removed these items from our menu rotation and replaced them with more protein-packed child-friendly options. The feedback following the change was enthusiastically positive and proved the efforts were well received.
All feedback collected and insights gained inform our decisions. With a small team, FOCP remains focused on maximizing social impact despite limited resources.
Implementation Plan
Start Date05/01/2025
End Date04/30/2026
Describe Most Significant Collaborations With Other Organizations And Efforts.Food preparation and distribution are made possible by hundreds of volunteers who offer their assistance on a regular basis.
Program partners that propel our work include school personnel (principals, teachers, staff, counselors, social workers, custodians), registered dietitians & nutrition educators, interns & service-learning students, area businesses (over 400 local businesses provide funding and encourage employee volunteerism), and Volunteers (2,100 community members offered nearly 4,000 hours of assistance and support last fiscal year).
In-kind food products to support our High School Food Pantries are provided by many businesses, individuals, churches and youth groups. FOCP is a partner in local food recovery efforts, directing and accepting recovered food items to be distributed to those in need. In addition, fresh child-friendly produce is grown and harvested in-kind by Living Earth Center to b distributed via FOCP summer programs.
FOCP has continued to develop shared advocacy efforts with other non-profit agencies, which allow for greater community awareness of the drivers of and issue of hunger. We are also part of a strong referral network, ensuring families that access one service are connected with all they need to thrive. Our work is accomplished through collaborations and partnerships with many passionate and committed Hunger Heroes.
What Is The Projected Timeline For The Proposed Activities?FOCP programs have a direct and immediate impact on food-insecure students. FOCP weekend and school break services are available year-round. Currently, FOCP programs serve over 1,100 students weekly within seven South Central Minnesota school districts. Programs are available to public, private, charter, and homeschool populations with simple enrollment that is available year-round. Families may enroll or withdraw at any point in the year, without financial requirements for assistance.
Additional services are provided during the summer months, ensuring youth that reside in area food desert locations have access to fresh and nutritious weekday lunches.
We are also in the process of creating a Community Cupboard onsite at our warehouse location. The Cupboard will include fresh, frozen and shelf-stable food resources available to families in need.
Supplemental Information
Board Members
Current Year Organizational Budget
Program Budget For Proposed Funding Period
Audited Financials (if applicable)
Other EntriesApproval StatusUnapproved
Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP)
March 11, 2025
Amount Requested$10,000.00
2120 Howard Dr. West, Suite J
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
Sheri Sander-Silva
Executive Director
Email hidden; Javascript is required.
- Food and Housing Security
Program Support
“It wasn’t my turn to eat this weekend.” - Elementary school student
This was the impetus for the community-led response that inspired Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP).
FOCP has a mission to engage our community in solving youth hunger. We envision a community where hunger is not a barrier to student success and are committed to making this vision a reality.
FOCP fulfills our mission through five core hunger relief programs: the BackPack Food Program for K-5 students, the Power Pack Program for grades 6-8, school-based food pantries for High School students, the Summer Pack Program for K-12 students, and the Summertime Outreach Meal Program, providing weekday meals for K-12 students residing in area food deserts. These programs, unique in scope and target audience, provide youth hunger relief on weekends, during school breaks, and over the summer months. Programs are intended to be available when adequate nutrition is limited or unavailable.
$10,000.00
$1,245,404.00
$1,245,404.00
Yes
Food serves as the essential fuel for success. FOCP is committed to nourishing young bodies and thus investing in the health and wellness of local youth. It is our hope that their dreams of today become the reality of their future.
According to the MN Department of Health, Minnesota ranks 7th worst in the nation for the share of residents with access to healthy foods. Household food insecurity – the state of not having reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food – is associated with poorer health and increased medical costs. Additional research shows that children raised in food-insecure homes suffer devastating consequences. Hunger and inadequate nutrition affect their emotional, physical, and mental well-being, impacting their overall health and future potential.
FOCP programs provide year-round, reliable access to nutrition, eliminating a large barrier for students living in food-insecure households. Food packs include shelf-stable meals and snacks with a rotating menu, accommodations for food allergies, and options that cater to cultural dietary preferences.
FOCP programs combat the effects of hunger. Teachers report a difference in the quality of life for students enrolled in FOCP programs. The top three improvements observed are increased energy levels, improved emotional health, and enhanced ability to concentrate. Additionally, teachers report an improvement in school attendance.
A teacher shared, "I now have students who come to school on Mondays eager to work! Their scores have increased, but more importantly, they are making stronger social connections with their peers."
These relied upon food resources go beyond nutrition. We hear from enrolled youth that their food makes them feel “loved” and “cared for”. That is why our enrollment is simple and our services discreet.
Food Insecure Youth in Grades K-12
Seven school districts and 14 communities on South Central Minnesota
FOCP’s overarching goal is to support the health and wellness of youth at all ages and stages. Three objectives that support that goal are:
Eliminate barriers to food access and expand services to meet local needs
Enhance the quality of life for students enrolled in FOCP programs
increase student success and invest in the health and wellness of area youth
FOCP services provide the launching pad for student success. The ultimate achievement is seeing kids learn and thrive in school. When kids are fed, they are ready to learn, play, participate in the community, and truly enjoy their childhood.
Given the current political climate and the uncertainty it has caused for many families, we know we will be relied upon now more than ever. As a result, we expect families to access our services more frequently. The rising costs of groceries, rent, utilities, and childcare make it challenging to predict future food support needs. Funds provided by this grant will offer FOCP the confidence to navigate an unpredictable future, enabling us to learn and adapt to family needs as necessary.
Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that our enrollment remains open to every student who needs it, without limitation. We are committed to providing access to all students, regardless of circumstances, because we believe that no child should go hungry.
In 2008, a “Missing Meals” report showed that in Blue Earth County alone, 1.26 million meals were missed annually. This information lit a fire of concern that inspired a coalition of compassionate leaders to take action. Two years later, a formal non-profit was formed in response, ready to take action: Feeding Our Communities Partners.
This spirit of community is what drives FOCP today. FOCP has become a leader in youth hunger relief within our region and has rallied the support of all sectors by developing and fostering relationships with the same goal: eliminating hunger.
Just as when we began, we maintain excellent relationships with individuals, businesses, school districts, educators, and social service organizations, all of which are essential to our work. We stay attuned to our community's evolving needs by having team members actively participate in boards, committees, collaboratives and business networking organizations ensuring we remain engaged and informed about emerging needs across all sectors.
The work of the organization is only made possible with the collective power of over 2,000 volunteers contributing nearly 4,000 hours of assistance annually.
To gauge the growing need for our services, FOCP includes a program inquiry link on our website. This allows communities to share interest in bringing FOCP programs to their area, school or building. This tool has been helpful in assessing needs while also inspiring alternative modes of program distribution.
When our list of rural communities expressing need grew beyond our financial ability to expand, we created an alternative model. Our Affiliate Partner model allows for communities to own their role in solving youth hunger. Groups can fundraise or find sponsors to cover the cost of food, purchase FOCP curated food packs (with an array of special diet menus available), and distribute them to youth in their community. This model has been tested over the last several months and gives power to our neighboring rural communities to take action, as able.
Additionally, FOCP conducts impact evaluations each year through surveys distributed to students, teachers, and guardians. We also gather feedback from families, school staff, volunteers, and other key stakeholders throughout the year.
As a locally developed organization, FOCP has the autonomy to adapt and respond swiftly. When student surveys revealed a dislike for certain canned entrees included in food packs, we viewed it as an opportunity to make some changes. Based on this feedback, we removed these items from our menu rotation and replaced them with more protein-packed child-friendly options. The feedback following the change was enthusiastically positive and proved the efforts were well received.
All feedback collected and insights gained inform our decisions. With a small team, FOCP remains focused on maximizing social impact despite limited resources.
05/01/2025
04/30/2026
Food preparation and distribution are made possible by hundreds of volunteers who offer their assistance on a regular basis.
Program partners that propel our work include school personnel (principals, teachers, staff, counselors, social workers, custodians), registered dietitians & nutrition educators, interns & service-learning students, area businesses (over 400 local businesses provide funding and encourage employee volunteerism), and Volunteers (2,100 community members offered nearly 4,000 hours of assistance and support last fiscal year).
In-kind food products to support our High School Food Pantries are provided by many businesses, individuals, churches and youth groups. FOCP is a partner in local food recovery efforts, directing and accepting recovered food items to be distributed to those in need. In addition, fresh child-friendly produce is grown and harvested in-kind by Living Earth Center to b distributed via FOCP summer programs.
FOCP has continued to develop shared advocacy efforts with other non-profit agencies, which allow for greater community awareness of the drivers of and issue of hunger. We are also part of a strong referral network, ensuring families that access one service are connected with all they need to thrive. Our work is accomplished through collaborations and partnerships with many passionate and committed Hunger Heroes.
FOCP programs have a direct and immediate impact on food-insecure students. FOCP weekend and school break services are available year-round. Currently, FOCP programs serve over 1,100 students weekly within seven South Central Minnesota school districts. Programs are available to public, private, charter, and homeschool populations with simple enrollment that is available year-round. Families may enroll or withdraw at any point in the year, without financial requirements for assistance.
Additional services are provided during the summer months, ensuring youth that reside in area food desert locations have access to fresh and nutritious weekday lunches.
We are also in the process of creating a Community Cupboard onsite at our warehouse location. The Cupboard will include fresh, frozen and shelf-stable food resources available to families in need.
Unapproved