It was a sobering moment.
In summer of 2024 our small Lutheran Church in St. Paul, together with (non-church) community volunteers and programs housed here in what we now call a “community commons,” applied for a grant funded by the USDA.
Zion Lutheran has sustained a weekly food giveaway program for over 15 years with volunteers and very little money. In partnership with the community around us, the Church (or Commons) now hosts three weekly food programs — all through small donations and wide participation.
Under the 501(c)(3), Prevail News, we together applied for a federally funded grant called the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (LFPA). The year-long grant was designed to promote local growers, producers, and economies in food production, by linking them with organizations like ours that distribute food to people who are food-insecure.
We were stunned to be one of 50 organizations in Minnesota to be awarded the grant. The amount ($122,000 over 12 months) is roughly equal to the church’s annual budget. As a reimbursable grant, Zion Lutheran would have to front a loan to Prevail of $20,000 in order to purchase food while awaiting reimbursement.
We worried. Could we ramp up to responsibly distribute this higher volume of food to our neighbors? Could we organize responsibly to comply with the strict requirements of the grant for reporting and distribution? We took a collective deep breath. And said, “Yes.”
In September, we signed the legal contract to promise these things on our end. Then, in October, we began to purchase food from The Good Acre in St. Paul, which sources food from local producers. And we began to give it away. Local eggs, local honey, local milk, local produce — top quality — the kind of food that made our neighbors coming to receive it feel shy. Those accustomed to “rescued food” at or beyond expiration dates truly wondered if they could actually have it. It was Co-op level stuff. Food many of us can’t, or choose not to, afford.
It was a beautiful program. A way that our tax dollars could foster and grow local food production and economies, toward sustainability, while nourishing our neighbors in need. One we viewed as a “bridge grant” toward a community-solidarity vs. charity model. An innovative way to address food insecurity with better than left-overs. In Minnesota, one in four households with children is food-insecure. Which should be unacceptable to all of us. But here we are. Government aid is not enough to solve this problem, but wise investment in local communities can help.
On Friday, Feb. 7th, we were informed that all funds for this program had been frozen by the federal government. We cannot expect any more reimbursement. We were over four months into this program and doing exactly what was intended. People with little money were pressing coins, dollars, and checks into my hands in gratitude (unsolicited) for the bounty they were receiving. All going toward sustainability beyond the grant.
Here we are. Since grant funds were frozen — we believe illegally — we are holding the bag for $15,220 that we have already spent expecting reimbursement. We do not expect to receive it. It is nearly 15% of our church budget, spent in good faith. Met with bad faith. We share our story to encourage others to share theirs. To make the headlines real, personal, and local. Individuals, agencies, and communities have been harmed far more than we. Yet:
We prevail together. We will. Because people are more valuable than money. Because community is better than gold. Because food belongs to everyone. Because love does find a way. And love never stops loving. That’s not a sentiment. It is down to earth and practical. Edible even.
The Rev. John Marboe is pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in the Midway of St. Paul (ELCA). His email address is johncharles2@gmail.com. You can sign up for a weekly meditation there, or see his once in a while blog at revdrgarbageman.blogspot.com.
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