Category: Uncategorized

Hunger may be closer than you realize. For long-time friends and supporters, Karen and Royal Alworth, it impacted their very family and Karen’s brother Don. Retired, disabled and on a fixed income, Don found himself having to make the difficult choice between paying his bills or buying groceries. As an independent and resourceful man, he just couldn’t bridge the gap.

After touring our facility, Karen and Royal were able to find support for Don, which now ensures his choice of food, dignity, and empowerment. “When we toured, we were reminded of the sheer magnitude of need in our region, but also the programs and services that Second Harvest makes available through their impressive work,” Karen shares. “We were so inspired, we decided to act.”

Through their generous gift of stock, Karen and Royal are matching all individual gifts to our Nourish the Northland Capital Campaign, up to $500,000, by June 30, 2025. As Karen shared recently, “I hope you will join us to ensure dignified food access for neighbors like my brother Don.”

Shortly after picking her daughter Jade, 7, up from school, Janice swings by the food shelf.  Providing her family with healthy food is “everything,” she shares.  Her daughter, a first grader who loves math, also receives breakfast and lunch at school.

With the high cost of living, the extra support helps, as Janice isn’t always able to buy the food, they need from the grocery store.  Janice works her customer service job from home, which makes it easier to cook for her family of four.  Their favorite meal is tacos, and she looks forward to loading up the dish with the vegetables and meat she receives from the food shelf.

Thanks to your generosity, we’re able to supply NE Minnesota and NW Wisconsin’s 60 area food shelves with enough food for 8.2 million meals annually, including fresh produce, dairy and meat so neighbors like Janice can access healthy and nutritious food for their family.  “It really helps, I love it,” she shares