FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jessica Sund
Director of Development and Communications
Phone: 507.269.2885
Email: [email protected]
Rochester, Minnesota – October 5th, 2020
Starting Wednesday, October 7th, Channel One Regional Food Bank will begin offering prepared meals at select off-site locations in Olmsted County for the first time in its history. The ‘Channel One Prepared Meals Program’ was created to address the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project is expected to provide 84,000 meals over the next three months, in addition to the food currently being provided at Channel One Food Bank and its’ agency partners on a daily basis.
“We aim to increase access to prepared meals to accommodate the growing rate of food insecurity in Olmsted County. This project will provide supplementary support to our existing meal programs by creating culturally-specific menus and delivery to low-access communities, which will fill gaps in our current scope of service,” Executive Director Virginia Merritt explained.
The food bank was awarded a nearly $700,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Education, using funds from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, to facilitate this project.
Participants in the prepared meals program will receive two meals at each location– one for that day and one for a later time. Olmsted County residents do not have to be registered with Channel One to receive meals through the program.
Masks are required and social distancing is encouraged at each of the sites below.
Mayo High School (Rochester)
1420 11th Ave SE (Door 3B)
Rochester, MN 55904
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
11:30-12:30
Friendship Park (Rochester)
1421 4th Ave SE
Rochester, MN 55904
Tuesday and Thursday
3:00-4:00
Eyota Ambulance Facility (Eyota)
753 Robert Ave
Eyota, MN 55934
Friday
4:30-5:30
Zion Lutheran Church (Stewartville)
400 5th Ave NE
Stewartville, MN 55976
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
3:30-4:30
The Jeremiah Program, Boys and Girls Club of Rochester, and Head Start (at the Empowerment Center and The Place) will also be offering meals to their participants. Participants should contact these programs directly for more information.
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Channel One Regional Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, strengthens food access and builds healthy communities. Channel One operates food programs to serve local and area needs such as: a food bank, food shelf, mobile pantry, Backpack Program, Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS), and Green Gardens Program. Channel One Regional Food Bank mobilizes organizations, volunteers, and donors to serve the network of more than 200 nonprofit programs that provide food for children, adults, and families in need. Channel One serves 14 counties across southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. For more information, call 507.287.2350 or visit helpingfeedpeople.org.
This program is funded with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education using funds from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), CFDA 21.019.
