At Channel One Regional Food Bank, our mission is to strengthen food access and build healthy communities with a vision that every community in our region is food secure.
We serve people experiencing hunger in 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin through a network of 167 food shelves, pantries and programs.
Initially established in 1980 as a co-op to provide food to seniors in Olmsted County, Channel One has grown to become the largest hunger relief organization in our region.
Channel One is a member of Feeding America, a national network of 200 food banks from across the country providing food assistance. This allows us access to millions of pounds of surplus food and grocery donations that we safely and efficiently collect, store, and distribute to those in need.
Who We Serve
We provide food assistance to working families and individuals, seniors, and people in times of crisis due to job loss, medical problems, or personal disaster. Many of our neighbors are food insecure and are uncertain where their next meal will come from.
Our network of food shelves, pantries and programs extends across 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. These counties include: Faribault, Waseca, Rice, Goodhue, Wabasha, Steele, Dodge, Olmsted, Freeborn, Mower, Fillmore, Winona, Houston, and La Crosse counties.
More than 45,000 people, including over 15,000 children
face food insecurity in our region
How It Works
Channel One Regional Food Bank partners with food and grocery manufacturers, retailers, growers, government agencies and other organizations to collect food for our community. We then safely store and distribute food to our network of agencies.
51,499 square foot facility in Olmsted Country safely stores food
9.5 million pounds of food distributed last year
160+ partner food shelves & programs
42 years of serving the community
Our Network
Channel One Food Bank distributes food through a network of food relief agencies, including: food shelves, pantries, soup kitchens, group homes, shelters and childhood hunger programs.
The Channel One Food Shelf is one of the agencies within our network, serving residents in Olmsted County who are facing food insecurity.
Values
Every day these values guide our efforts to help those in our community who are food insecure:
- People experiencing food insecurity are at the center of everything we do.
- We create an inclusive culture that welcomes and respects the diversity of people we serve, employees and volunteers and honors the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals.
- We build and foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
- We work in partnership with local communities and our peers to improve nutrition and promote food security.
Strategies Driving Our Work
With input from a wide range of community partners and our network of agencies, we have developed key strategies that are helping us increase access to food and build healthy communities.
