Foodshelf & Hunger Advocates Take Time Out for Learning

From Pelican Rapids to Worthington; Rochester to Hibbing and dozens of communities north, south, east & west, over 200 foodshelf administrators, board members, volunteers and hunger advocates met in St. Cloud on September 11 – 13 for the Minnesota FoodShare Food Shelf Conference. Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign Coordinator, Sue Kainz, addresses the assembly in the photo below.

Conferees focused their conference learning experience via a Food Shelf Management, Fundraising or Board of Directors Track. Bremer Nonprofit Resource Specialists Kathy Grochow and Lois Schmidt lead the Board of Directors Track. (The photo of us with some of our trainees is included below.) We delivered four workshops on key board topics: Basic Board Responsibilities and Board/Staff Relationships; Board Building and Recruitment; Board’s Role in Financial Oversight; and Board Room Dynamics and Engagement.

These are the great people on the front lines who build and maintain the food shelf organizations and hunger advocacy systems in our communities that collect food for people and families who need help. Bremer’s month-long, companywide Taking Action Against Hunger Campaign that takes place each June collects donations that are directed to this need. In addition, a special event this year, Bremer Bank’s End Hunger Flash Mob, helped to raise more needed funds.

We enjoyed working with all of you who participated in the 2011 conference!

Lois Schmidt, NRS, Willmar