Help Starts Here
The recent government shutdown has put many local families at risk of losing important food benefits like SNAP and WIC. United Way of Southeast Minnesota is stepping up to help, ensuring vital food programs stay strong and stable for everyone who needs them.
211
Tell your neighbors how 211 can help.
211 is always here. Today, our neighbors need is food, tomorrow their need will be different. Available 24/7, every day, and in over 100 languages, you can call or text 211 and talk with a compassionate and knowledgeable resource navigator.
When you call 211, you get access to thousands of local resources updated every day. You may call looking for food, however our trained resource navigators know what questions to ask, and you’ll likely end the call with resources for more things your family needs. By calling 211 first, you’ll let our local service providers focus on helping the folks in front of them, and you’ll get high quality referrals that meet your family’s immediate needs.
We are currently working with our food providers to make sure they update 211 regularly on the amount of food they have to disburse, ensuring callers have the most robust information.
Volunteer Your Time
Looking to get involved directly? Our Get Connected portal has been connecting people to volunteer opportunities for years. We’ve organized volunteer opportunities supporting local food programs in the right hand section of our front page. If you’d like to donate your time to a local non-profit, make an account and start responding to needs.
Support Our Food Partners
United Way invests over $100,000 annually in local nonprofit programs that ensure healthy and culturally relevant foods. Learn more about our food security partners and how they are responding to the federal government shutdown:
*Note: Semcac and Salvation Army are not funded through our food security program but do provide food and are funded for other services.
Channel One
Channel One Regional Food Bank's mission to strengthen food access and build healthy communities with a vision that every community in our region is food secure.
Pamoja Women
Pamoja Women's Pamoja Pantry partners with Channel One Food Bank to offer hot, culturally appropriate meals and a food pantry stocks with culturally appropriate foods.
Lifegate Services
LifeGate Services provides monthly food supplementation, health and wellness education programs, and immigrant support.
Family Service Rochester
Family Service Rochester's Meals on Wheels provides home delivered, dietetically correct, hot, nutritious meals and a friendly visit.
Zumbro Ridge Estates
Zumbro Ridge Estates Groceries and Gardens Project is a multi-year plan to build and sustain the capacity of the food pantry in the Zumbro Bridge Estates housing cooperative which will feed 500 residents annually.
Semcac*
Semcac provides food security, housing, Head Start, clinics, senior programs, energy programs, and more.
The Salvation Army*
The Salvation Army helps cure hunger by providing nutritious meals to our neighbors in need.
