Bemidji Community Food Shelf

We put food on tables in northern Minnesota!

Bemidji Food Shelf provides a critical service to our northern Minnesota community: providing  emergency food to area families facing food insecurity.

In 2020, BCFS provided food for 398,600 meals for 40,000 children, elders, and their family members. This food helped college students achieve degrees and become productive members of their community. It allowed seniors to buy needed medications so they can stay at home longer. It helped young children learn in school because they weren't as hungry.

We are the 15th largest food shelf in the state in terms of number served, and we recently transitioned to a "SuperShelf," to make our physical space more welcoming and to help make the healthiest choice the easiest choice for our customers.

In 2014 we established the Food Shelf Farm Project  to help provide fresh, nourishing produce to our users. In 2021 we harvested over 25,000 pounds of produce for area families.

We are a distribution site for the federal Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS). Currently about 120 qualifying seniors age 60 and over are receiving a monthly NAPS commodity box. This is a wonderful program for very low income elders.

BCFS is a faith-based organization. Volunteers from member churches regularly staff the food shelf, and community members, students, fraternal organizations and others also volunteer. In 2018, over 700 people contributed at least two hours to the food shelf or Farm.

In addition to monetary and food donations, all community members are welcome to volunteer with us, as we are a small, efficient staff. 

Please consider becoming part of our wonderful food shelf family!