Great Plains Food Bank is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer.
The program is run through Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota. Steve Sellent is the program director of the food bank.
Great Plains Food Bank is partnered with 266 feeding programs throughout the state. In the next 30 years the food bank will focus on four main areas of hunger, Sellent said.
“I’m very excited to announce that we will be kicking off our next 30 years by adding or expanding programs in four key focus areas. Those areas are childhood hunger, senior hunger, rural hunger and community based solutions to hunger,” Sellent said.
One of the partners with Great Plains Food Bank is Ruth Meiers Hospitality House. Jaclyn Bugbee is the executive director of Ruth Meiers.
Bugbee said in the last three years, Ruth Meiers has received 275,000 pounds of food.
“For us the Great Plains Food Bank has been a huge proponent in giving us fresh fruits and vegetables and helping us supply people who may not receive that nutritious meal with a little bit of added boost to help them get through their week,” Bugbee said.
The food donated to Ruth Meiers goes to shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries. Bugbee said Ruth Meiers offered 18,000 nights of shelter last year.
