Item Description:
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Neg various agmts for food rescue grants for periods between 04/01/26-03/31/27 and 04/01/26-09/30/27, total combined NTE $300,000
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate the following agreements for food rescue grants during the period of April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, with a total amount not to exceed $91,000:
• PR00008237 with St. Louis Park Emergency Program Inc, with the amount not to exceed $8,000;
• PR00008235 with North Suburban Emergency Assistance Response, with the amount not to exceed $18,500;
• PR00008236 with All Nations Youth and Community Assistance Program, with the amount not to exceed of $29,600;
• PR00008234 with Sisters Camelot, with the amount not to exceed $34,900; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate the following agreements for food rescue grants during the period April 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027, with a total amount not to exceed $209,000;
• PR00008238 with Church of the Incarnation, with the amount not to exceed $120,000;
• PR00008240 with Community Emergency Services Inc, with the amount not to exceed $15,000;
• PR00008241 with East Side Neighborhood Services Inc, with the amount not to exceed $54,000;
• PR00008239 with Intercongregation Communities Association, with the amount not to exceed $20,000; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that following review and approval of the County Attorney’s Office, the County Administer be authorized to sign the agreements on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.
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Background:
In Hennepin County, enough edible food is discarded each year to fill Target Field 1.5 times. Most surplus food from restaurants, grocery stores, and households ends up in the trash. The impact of discarded food on our climate and environment is significant, because uneaten food still requires resources to grow, harvest, transport, and prepare. At the same time, food insecurity has increased exponentially over the past several years.
The county is committed to eliminating health disparities by partnering with food recovery organizations to promote access to healthy, culturally relevant food and decrease food insecurity for people. One immediate way to increase access to healthy foods is through the collection and redistribution of surplus foods. Food rescue is also crucial in reaching the county’s Zero Waste and Climate Action Plan goals.
The Food Recovery Grant program was established in 2024 and provides funding to organizations that collect, process, and/or redistribute surplus edible food to Hennepin County residents (Resolution 24-0324). Funds for food recovery are used to develop or expand collection and redistribution of edible food destined for disposal.
The county released a request for proposals in November 2025. Twenty proposals were received and eight are recommended for funding, for a total amount of $300,000:
• St. Louis Park Emergency Program Inc. - $8,000 to replace current freezer used to store rescued food
• North Suburban Emergency Assistance Response, Crystal - $18,500 to expand cold storage to support food rescue donations
• All Nations Youth and Community Assistance Program, Minneapolis - $29,600 to support food rescue staffing and stabilize cold storage infrastructure at their food shelf
• Sisters Camelot, Minneapolis - $34,900 to stabilize food rescue operations by repairing box truck
• Church of the Incarnation, Minneapolis - $120,000 to expand rescue storage capacity and redistribution using hub-and-spoke model in partnership with Twin Cities Food Justice
• Community Emergency Services Inc., Minneapolis - $15,000 to expand rescue efforts with five to seven new donors and add a freezer to newly remodeled market
• East Side Neighborhood Services Inc., Minneapolis - $54,000 to restore twice per month food deliveries to partners with replacement box truck
• Intercongregation Communities Association, Minnetonka - $20,000 to increase amount of food recovery by expanding food rescue partners to include local farm/agricultural businesses
Current Request: This request is to authorize the County Administrator to negotiate four food rescue grant agreements during the period April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, with a total combined amount not to exceed $91,000.
Also, this request is to authorize the County Administrator to negotiate four food rescue grant agreements during the period April 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027, with a total amount not to exceed $209,000.
Funding for these grants comes from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund.
Impact/Outcomes: The Food Rescue Grant Program supports and expands food recovery efforts, while also feeding more people in need. This decreases the amount of food waste going to landfills and advances the county’s zero waste, climate, and disparity elimination goals. These grants will provide funding to eight organizations, resulting in a reduction of approximately 8 million pounds of food waste annually.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval