Dear Friends and Partners,
This is the January 10th update of Wright
County’s Care and Nutrition Partnership Support for Seniors (60+). We are
starting our 43rd week of response to COVID-19. Wright County
Community Action (WCCA) has a support line for seniors; please encourage
seniors to call (320) 963-6500 ext. 274. As a community, we want to help with our
most vulnerable neighbors’ challenges, including isolation and the impact that
results, assistance with grocery access through education, grocery delivery,
senior mobile food shelf needs, frozen meal support, prescription access, and
needs like housekeeping, chores, assisted transportation and other logistical
issues as they present.
In addition
to our work in Wright County, NourishingHOPE is extending frozen meal
support just beyond the Wright County Line to the east into Western Hennepin
County. Seniors there in Western Hennepin County can reach out to NourishingHOPE
to learn about frozen meal support in their local community. Communities
in Western Hennepin include: Corcoran, Greenfield, Hamel, Hassen, Loretto,
Rogers, Delano, Hanover, Maple Plain, Otsego, and Rockford. For more information
about Western Hennepin services, please contact nourishinghope.oflc@gmail.com or call (763) 477-6300.
Wright County COVID-19 IMPACT
As
of January 7th we’ve had 11,177 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wright County. This
measurement began March 13th of 2020. The chart below
demonstrates the daily trend of cases since mid-March. We’ve had 342 new confirmed cases since
last week. As you can see below, new cases seem to have flattened out the
last few weeks.
Let’s
stay tuned in to the needs and risks of our seniors. There have been 31 new confirmed COVID-19
cases in Wright County of seniors over 70 years of age since last week.
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/52d559cfbe6e4ca39558c9b2f877e144
Our
senior population remains at risk. Every week I hear about senior friends
entering the hospital because of this virus. While many are healing and
coming out mostly okay after a long and lonely battle, some have not returned
home and we miss them dearly.
Share
this information with your friends. Let’s make a determined effort to protect our
seniors and vulnerable friends and use the time necessary to let the vaccine
and herd immunity do its good work.
Our seniors are no doubt the most vulnerable per capita – your actions can make a difference. While we need to protect this population, please PLEASE realize that separation and social distancing also has its negative impact on this vulnerable group. Please share this story so all our seniors and their family and friends know a place to go if they want to confidentially check into resources they may need – also please call the seniors next door or in your town to let them know you care.
Shout-out to Strategic Partners
This
Thursday on senior frozen meal packing day, WCCA volunteers and staff packed 2,100 meals. On packing
days, routinely meals are picked up at J&B Group in St. Michael and transferred to Waverly to be packed.
Loading frozen meals at J&B
Group
Bringing Meals into the packing area at the WCCA Food Shelf in Waverly
Sorting and packing a selection 14 different frozen entrees into Walgreens bags (Thursday we packed Traditions meals provided by Catholic Charities)
Four of the
meals packed are lunch portions from the airline industry (AMI - IDA
Foods) packed along with three add on
breakfast foods from Cargill
In
partnership with Trailblazer Transit and several local churches that house local freezers- Alleluia Lutheran in St Michael, Our Father’s Lutheran in Rockford, and St. John’s Lutheran in Howard Lake -
Care and Nutrition Partner volunteers deliver frozen meals taken from all these
local freezers and deliver them directly to the home porches of our seniors.
We
could use your help! If you have a team that might want to help us pack
frozen meals on a Thursday morning, please let us know. Packing usually happens at
least once per week and takes less than two hours. It can be a lot of
fun. Each packing can be done with up to 4 or 5 volunteers. Call 763-658-4414 if
you want to learn more about this volunteering opportunity. If you are
willing to help deliver meals to seniors homes, please call 320-963-6500 Ext 274 and let us know so that we can find the best place to plug
you in.
This week at Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm
As 2021 rolls
in we want to wish Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm, along with its owners Jerry and
Sue Untiedt, a very happy 50th
Anniversary. Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm was founded in 1971 at a 40-acre
farmstead, situated along the banks of the North Fork of the Crow River just
north of Waverly. Today this farm still serves as a home base to their
family farm enterprise.
Through a wonderful and amazing partner network made up of local food shelves and faith-based partners, we are estimating that we had the honor of distributing almost 150,000 pounds of Untiedt’s produce from the 2020 growing season.
The produce
distributed came in 4,444 boxes and gunny sacks of different varieties
including Cucumbers, Green Zucchini, Yellow Zucchini, Broccoli, Cauliflower,
Sweet Corn, Field Run Slicer Tomatoes, Yellow Slicing Tomatoes, Red Grape
Tomatoes, Yellow Grape Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, Red Slicing Tomatoes, Roma
Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Baby Cucumbers, Eggplant, Leeks, Red Potatoes, New
Potatoes, Chub Cucumbers, Butternut Squash, Buttercup Squash, Acorn Squash,
Green Peppers, Sweet Italian Peppers, Habanero Peppers, Poblano Peppers,
Jalapenos Peppers, Red Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Fennel, Celery, Kohlrabi,
Beets, 🍎Zestar
Apples, 🍎Fireside Apples, 🍎Keepsake Apples, 🍎Snowsweet Apples,🍎Chestnut Crab Apples, 🍎Haralson Apples, and 🍎Kindercrisps Apples.
This week we are announcing a new partnership between Untiedt’s and Wright County Community Action. Untiedt’s has stepped up to the plate again and purchased the former Red’s Café building in Montrose, MN.
Jerry and Sue Untiedt at the former Red’s Café building, Montrose,
MN
Initially
this building will be used by WCCA as a commercial kitchen to begin preserving
excess produce to be shared with local seniors and families at a later
date. This is just another amazing opportunity to stretch the benefits of
fresh vegetable from the Untiedt’s farm. While we have a lot to learn
about the licensing required and production in this facility, we are very
grateful for the resources from both the Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm and Hunger Solutions that have made this
opportunity possible. Now we just have to finish forging a new path to
local food preservation and distribution to benefit local families with the
balance of these resources.
While
it will take some time to prepare the licensing and kitchen, please let us know
if you are willing to volunteer in this kitchen when the time comes to set
aside produce for next winter in support of local seniors and families.
If
you or a potential partner would like to help expand these resources to our
seniors expressly on Highway 12, please consider donating to the “COVID-19 Food” fund at the Delano Loretto
Area United Way:
Write
a check to: Delano Loretto Area United Way
In
the memo line, write: “COVID-19 Food.”
Mail
to:
P.O. Box 578
Delano, MN 55328
Or
visit the Delano Loretto Area United Way Website http://www.delanolorettouw.org/ and click “Donate” -- donations via credit card or PayPal (click on “write a
note”, write “COVID-19 Food”)
If
you want to target expansion of frozen meal delivery in other parts of Wright
County including the Highway 55 corridor and I-94 corridor, please consider
donating to the “COVID-19 Food” fund at Wright County Community Action:
Write
a check to: Wright County Community Action
In
the memo line, write: “COVID-19 Food.”
Mail
to:
P.O. Box 787
Maple Lake, MN 55358
Or
visit the Wright County Community Action Agency Website (dedicate to: “COVID-19 Food”) https://www.wccaweb.com
The
entire community of Wright County is in this together! (see current partner
list below)
Please forward this email to potential
partners!
Full
of Anticipation,
Jay
Weatherford
WCCA
Executive Director
For
more information for Wright County senior support services:
https://www.wccaweb.com/Home/Index (click current programs)
or
email: agingservices@wccaweb.com
or call:
(320) 963-6500 Ext 274 – Aging Program Manager - Eric Nagel
(320) 963-6500 Ext 241 – Dispatch
1-800-333-2433 – Senior LinkAge Line
Delivered Frozen Meal Program(s) – WCCA at (320) 963-6500 Ext 274 or Catholic Charities Meals on Wheels program located in Maple Lake: (320) 963-5771, Annandale: (320) 274-3891 and Buffalo: (763) 682-6036
To volunteer:
Contact (320) 963-6500 Ext. 225 –– Jen Liebeck jliebeck@wccaweb.com
Or enroll on Website: https://www.wccaweb.com/Home/Volunteer
New
Partner and First Time Reader Overview
Farmers: food shelfs and senior programs can use
your support. Please share this email with your Wright County
farmer friends potentially able to contribute, or other Food Security Partners
that could use this produce to support their efforts. For large
donations, WCCA will use its resources to make distributions happen.
Again, going forward we hope to expand this list of local food security recipients
that could use fresh vegetables when they become available. If you are serving
local individuals at no cost and would like to be included in this potential
fresh vegetable distribution opportunity, please email me a cell phone number
to text. When an opportunity arises, a rapid response will be
needed. Based on a first come first serve distribution and availability,
Wright County Community Action will do our best to share these resources as
they come in and deliver them to partner locations.
Partner support
·
Second Harvest – free
and reduced cost bulk raw food products for frozen meal production.
·
Delano Coborn’s – weekly
food rescue makes a tremendous impact on food security resources.
·
Local Farmers –
Untiedt’s Vegetable Farm and Dechene Corporation of Big Lake Minnesota –
contributing produce for senior meal support and local food security needs.
·
Waverly Café - ingenuity
and giving spirit including their PPP loan directed at paying their staff to
produce senior meals, catering expertise, and use of their commercial kitchen.
·
Catholic Charities
partially funded by Central MN Council on Aging – frozen meals contribution and
Meals-on-Wheels referral partner.
·
Cargill – breakfast
meals.
·
J&B Group – bulk
warehouse freezer storage including bulk prepared meal storage and bulk raw
food storage; not to mention helping us resolve logistical issues, as well as
supplying a really great box with the outcome of providing so many solutions to
challenges we have faced in our production process.
·
Buffalo Crossings LLC,
owner of Oriental Buffet in Buffalo – commercial walk-in freezer, commercial
walk-in cooler, and commercial kitchen to pack and store senior meals and
produce.
·
Local Food Shelves –
produce distribution, local frozen meal and bulk food storage, as well as
senior services registration (Annandale Food Shelf, Buffalo Food Shelf,
Monticello Help Center, and Waverly Food Shelf).
·
Trailblazer – daily
volunteer based County-wide local senior meal delivery.
·
Delano Senior Center –
senior services application fulfillment, frozen meal distribution, produce
distribution, as well as Meals-on-Wheels referral partner.
·
NourshingHOPE – senior
services applications fulfillment, frozen meal distribution, and produce
distribution.
·
Wright County Human
Services/Public Health – volunteer recruitment support, data support,
instructional materials design, and logistics support.
·
St. Cloud Refrigeration
– emergency air conditioning for the Waverly Café kitchen.
·
Electrical Workers
Union, IBEW Local 292 – brought to the partnership Olympia Tech Electric to
support new electrical service needed at Waverly Café
·
Olympia Tech Electric –
installing new electrical services at Waverly Café needed for additional
freezer capacity
·
Local Lions Clubs –
local community freezer development and contributions to the cost of frozen
meals (Waverly, Montrose, Howard Lake, Maple Lake, Loretto, and Monticello).
·
Local Municipalities –
local freezer storage funding support (City of Waverly, City of Montrose, City
of Howard Lake).
·
Health Care Partners –
Allina Health (financial support)
·
Other Local Corporations
– Citizen State Bank of Waverly (freezer funding support), HWY 55 Trailer Sales
of Buffalo, and Walgreens (shopping bags).
·
Local Faith-based
organizations – many very giving churches for many years have been active in
financial support for food security across Wright County (too many to mention
them all – but you know who you are) . – in addition, Love INC, St Mary’s
Catholic Church, Alleluia Lutheran, Our Father’s Lutheran, St. John’s Lutheran,
Grace Place, North Ridge Fellowship Small Group and friends, Montrose United
Methodist Church have provided support for senior call center activity,
B.R.E.A.D program outreach, volunteer administrative services, food security,
food preparation, and meal and food storage - access and delivery.
·
Initiative Foundations,
Delano Loretto Area United Way, Wright County Area United Way, Mardag
Foundation, and St Paul and Minnesota Foundations including funding for
COVID-19 direct response, Catchafire membership, and B.R.E.A.D. program
funding.
·
State Live Well at Home
Funding and Federal Title III funding support administered by the Minnesota
Board on Aging and Central Minnesota Council on Aging.
·
Oliver Equipment Lease
for the required equipment to seal the senior meal trays.
·
AMI Group and IDA Foods
– access to airline meal vendors adding senior meal production capacity and
contingency support. This opportunity to purchase over stock of
first-class airline meals due to drop in air travel and our partners sharing
their relationships.
·
Tireless WCCA Staff
support from multiple programs working to braid any allowable resource to make
a difference for our seniors.
·
Countless community
volunteers - everything from administrative services support, logistics and
storage coordination, bulk food and materials transport, senior transportation,
local meal delivery, meal packing, senior call center activity, PPE production
and product support, volunteer coordination, food rescue, and so many more
details where you fill the gap (you too, know who you are – we are so
grateful for your courage and willingness to step forward to meet needs).
Call to Action
There is still much more opportunity for local
corporate and civic partners to get involved. It’s simple solutions like
packing meals in the Walgreens shopping bags or storing bulk meals or protein
on the warehouse freezer floor at J&B Group that have made all the difference.
Given the chance there are many incredible businesses that have unique
resources, relationships, buying power, and experience. We really
hope to find more corporate partners willing to leverage their earned knowledge
and distinctive talents to improve this support for our seniors during the
pandemic. Leveraging what they do best including their marketing,
buying power, and connections brings together powerful partners. When we
put our heads together, we dig up unique ways like those mentioned briefly
above. These often come from you readers. So please share this email with your friend, neighbor, or
corporate partner so that this story can
be told, and those big thinkers out there have the opportunity to step forward
and do what they do best.
Its leaders like Waverly Café, J&B Group,
Cargill, St. Cloud Refrigeration, Buffalo Crossing, and Untiedt Vegetable Farm
that are showing us ways for other corporate partners to leverage their buying
power, innovation, and economy of scale that will most likely take this
delivery system to the next level. We need you thinkers to help refine
our process as a community, interested in protecting our most vulnerable
population by leveraging their lessons learned; those lessons that have brought
your businesses to the success they are today. Share this message with your friends: during the same years that many of your
companies were established and being built to thrive, the people we are
trying to protect were your customers. This might be a great
opportunity to now give back to the ones who supported you and help them
thrive.
We need to refine solutions in local communities
for freezer storage, access to bulk buying, shared and efficient transportation
opportunities, HR teams organizing volunteers to support local distribution in
their community, corporate giving through community investment and
matching. We need volunteered ingenuity from our bankers and other
corporate partners that can bring their experience to this effort to
shore up and produce a stronger, even more sustainable model than we have
today. It is partners with their buying power, innovation, and economy of
scale that are now needed to continue to refine our process. There is
still local ingenuity to leverage in this crisis seeking local solutions that
will only enhance, extend, and sustain the investment of the federal and state
agencies.
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