ICA

In the past few years, ICA has proven to be resilient and adaptable as we weathered the coronavirus pandemic and the increased economic need that it brought. As part of our new strategic plan, we listened to our community and are determined, more than ever, to meet their need wherever it might be. ICA’s new mission is to create a healthy and stable community for all. Our vision is a community where everyone has the resources to thrive.  

As part of our strategic planning process, we followed the data and listened to teachers, parents, family liaisons, and school administrators. We learned there was a great need to relieve increased hunger in local schools. Together with our school partners, we are working to break down barriers, such as transportation, language, and cultural differences, to make access to our services easier for young families in our community. We launched our first school-based ICA Market and Resource Center at Gatewood Elementary, a Hopkins Public School, where families can access a full range of healthy groceries as well as meet with a case manager. We have since opened school-based markets in a few other schools. These services, together, provide holistic on-site support. This is just the beginning as we enter conversations with other local schools. 

ICA’s Key Food Programs

• Choice-model food shelf site: Families “shop” and select their own food up to two times per month. Food choices include proteins, dairy, grains, fresh produce, and more. 
• Mobile food shelves: We bring groceries directly to low-income apartment buildings primarily housing seniors and those with disabilities. 
• Home delivery program: We bring groceries directly to clients who are homebound or have underlying health concerns. ICA has increased this program more than 40% since COVID first began to impact our communities, expanding this program to more elderly and immunocompromised clients who need to stay home in order to stay safe. 
• Pop-Up Distribution Sites: We bring food to locally accessible sites like local church parking lots in a drive-through, easy-to-access model. 
• Healthy Snacks and Weekend bags: Through our partnership with Minnetonka and Hopkins school districts, we provide food offerings that ensure kids are fed during the school day, weekends, and school breaks.  
• School-Based Market and Resource Center(s): ICA’s hunger relief programs have recently expanded through the creation of a new school-based food shelf and resource center where students and families are able to access food, as well as receive case management and referrals to other resources on-site. The school-based model increases access by breaking down the barriers of transportation and language for our clients, many of whom are from immigrant communities. School-based markets allow us to reach families in a familiar setting and with the aid of family liaisons who are from Somali, Latinx, Native American, and Hmong communities.
  

We need your help!

Donations to ICA enable us to purchase healthy food from our partners, including produce, milk, meat, grains, and non-perishable items.

When you give to ICA, your donation stays in our community and puts food on the tables of your neighbors. With your $1 donation, we are able to stretch your dollar to purchase $3 worth of food from food banks.

Donating to ICA allows us to continue providing job assistance to clients searching for employment. Last year, our employment consultant provided over 500 employment services, helping clients craft resumes, complete job applications, practice interview skills, and more!

Your donation also helps us meet the increased demand in our homeless prevention services. Through your investment, you can ensure that our neighbors in need have a safe place to sleep. Prior to COVID, ICA provided, on average, $500 to keep a family stable in their housing. In this current environment, due to the increase in unemployment rates and furloughed individuals, the average amount needed to keep a family stable in their housing has increased to $1500.

Thank you for helping us to serve those in need in our community and provide our vital services!