Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP)
September 20, 2024
Amount Requested$10,000.00
2120 Howard Dr. West, Suite J
North Mankato, Minnesota 56003
Sheri Sander-Silva
Executive Director
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- Food and Housing Security
Program Support
Feeding Our Communities Partners (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.
$10,000.00
$1,245,404.00
$1,245,404.00
Yes
In our community, youth hunger is not just a statistic—it’s a daily reality for many school-age children. Hunger affects every corner of our community, creating challenges that ripple through the lives of our children and families. When children go hungry, it doesn't just impact them at home—it follows them into school and out into their communities.
Feeding Our Communities Partners is dedicated to addressing this critical issue by ensuring that every child has access to the nutritious food needed to thrive.
We know, and the research shows many children do not know where their next meal will come from. Children struggling with hunger face more than just an empty stomach; they:
• Experience chronic illness and weakened immune systems
• They have higher school absences and tardies
• Have impaired concentration
• Lower math and reading scores
• Increased grade repetition
• Experience higher levels of behavioral and emotional issues and anxiety
Although schools provide breakfast and lunch, many children have limited access to food on weekends and during school breaks. That’s where FOCP steps in.
FOCP bridges the food-insecurity gap by offering reliable, nutritious, child-friendly food options to over 1,000 local K-12 students attending public, private, or parochial schools within a six district service area.
The BackPack Food Program (serving elementary students) and Power Pack Program (serving middle school students) offer a variety of menus containing a breakfast, lunch, and snack for each day of the weekend or school break. The food packs are assembled by volunteers, transported to schools, and provided to teachers who discreetly place them in the backpacks or lockers of enrolled children.
The Summer Pack Program was launched in 2019 to eliminate food access barriers during the summer months. A monthly box containing four-weekend food packs is delivered directly to students' homes. The effort is heavily supported by community volunteers and engages over 200 individuals each month, from box preparation to deliveries.
In 2020, services were expanded to the high school population via onsite food resources or food pantries at area High Schools.
FOCP has continued to step up to meet additional community needs as they arise and as able. Upon learning that a long-standing hunger-relief program was redistributing funds previously in support of summer mobile outreach meals for youth, FOCP rallied. STOMP (Summer Time Outreach Meal Program) was developed in the summer of 2020 to provide nutritious weekday lunches to youth who reside within area food deserts, lacking access to other lunch resources. The effort has gained momentum and serves grab-and-go bag lunches to youth at four strategic locations Monday-Friday during the summer months.
The impact of these resources stretch far beyond a food pack. Students have shared the programs make them feel “safe”, “secure” and “cared for”.
Youth in grades K-12
South Central MN
FOCP strives to provide hunger relief services to youth in grades K-12 in south-central Minnesota, eliminating a significant potential barrier to student success.
Goal #1: Feed hungry students and expand services to meet the local need.
Goal #2: Improve the quality of life for students enrolled in FOCP programs.
Goal #3: Increase success in school, activities, and life for students enrolled in FOCP programs.
Goal #4: Maintain our open enrollment policy without interruption, ensuring access as needed.
FOCP was founded by the community for the community and continues to operate as such, with the help of over 2,000 volunteers annually.
Last school year, FOCP programs provided 264,055 meals to area youth. These food resources were readily available when access to adequate nutrition was otherwise limited.
A parent shared “Kids require nutrition and love with a chance to live a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, my lower income is just not enough to put food on the table, into their mouths, to create nice full bellies. The BackPack Food Program has restored positive feelings within my family. It is an opportunity that allows my family security and a safety net that we can rely on.”
Teachers with students enrolled in FOCP programs report its impact. 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.”
FOCP formally evaluates its impact annually through surveys distributed to students, teachers, and parents of those enrolled. This school year, each food pack now includes a QR code linked to an open survey, allowing students to provide feedback throughout the year. This will allow our organization to respond to feedback in real time and make alterations to menus when warranted.
09/07/2024
09/06/2025
FOCP is a leader in youth hunger relief within our region and has rallied the support of all sectors by developing and fostering relationships that allow for collective efforts to impact the elimination of youth hunger locally.
As a grassroots and community-supported organization, FOCP has developed and maintained excellent working relationships with individuals, businesses, school districts, social service organizations, and community service organizations.
Food preparation and distribution are made possible by hundreds of volunteers who offer their assistance monthly.
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).
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.
FOCP services are now available year round and as needed.
Unapproved