HSM Agency Highlight April 2009
Judy Bickel, Program Director & Katrina Karlsen, Food Shelf Manager
Northfield, Minnesota
History:
In 1969, the Northfield Community Action Center was founded by a group of community leaders who shared a belief in the power and importance of service — community self-help efforts — that have contributed to social advancement and social service innovations in their community ever since.
The Northfield CAC continues to help local people “give voice to their hearts” through action and philanthropy. Through its work with low-income people in the Northfield area, the CAC makes a difference in the lives of their neighbors. CAC services encompass programs that address basic needs of individuals and families. Programs and services delivered by the CAC provide a “safety net” for more than 500 local families who have difficulty making ends meet for a wide variety of reasons. The dedicated work of more than 1,000 volunteers from their community, donating more than 10,000 hours of service each year, makes this possible.
Mission:
To promote a healthy, caring and just community for all people through resources, advocacy and volunteer effort.
Vision:
Through the Community Action Center Northfield, area families are able to help each other succeed. For nearly 40 years neighbors have been helping neighbors build community and strengthen their lives and the benefit goes both ways.
Northfield CAC Services
To meet the needs of the people they serve, the Community Action Center offers a range of programs that address the basic elements of life. They offer opportunities to supplement a tight budget with:
- Christmas Sharing
- Clothing
- Crisis Intervention
- Dental
- Food
- Housing
- Thursday’s Table
- Transportation
- Youth
Making An Impact in Northfield and statewide:
Recently, Northfield CAC was one of the targeted food shelves asked to participate in a project in partnership with Hunger Solutions Minnesota. The legislator that represents their service area holds a position on one of the finance committees that will be deciding the fate of almost $1.3 million currently distributed annually to food shelves across the state. The goal for this campaign was to ensure not only that funding is not cut back but to actually secure an additional $1 million for Minnesota food shelves.
The Voice of Hunger Plate Project gets a very important message to legislators: Food shelf funding fills empty plates. Clients, volunteers and staff were asked to write their own message on each plate about why the food shelf is so important to them or what would happen if they couldn’t use the food shelf.
“It’s hard to put into words what a powerful impact this project has had for those of us working at the Northfield CAC”, said staff person, Judy Bickel. “Our food shelf was packed last Wednesday and I wasn’t sure the food shelf manager was even going to attempt to ask clients if they would write a few words [on the plates]. Well she did and we are all just amazed at the response.” Judy continued, “People felt empowered to have the opportunity to say something and the response has been very genuine and truly from the heart. We will be using some of these responses in telling the story of hungry families here in Northfield.”
According to Judy, one teenage boy’s written message was, “If you took the food shelf away or reduced the money you provide for them then we would have to eat scraps or things we don’t want. [The food shelf] helps my mother and brothers since we don’t have a dad or other help.”
Hunger Solutions Minnesota officially recognizes Northfield Community Action Center for their outstanding service to their community. Congratulations!