Bridge Community Pantry ready for March fundraising campaign

Every Tuesday, The Bridge Community Pantry opens its doors to local families in need.

Since 1995 families from Perham, Dent, Ottertail, Richville and Vergas who need a little extra help have been able to come in once a month and choose from a variety of supplies at the Perham food pantry. For those who cannot get to the main Perham location, there is still an option. On the first Tuesday of the month, the mobile food pantry goes to Ottertail and Richville, and on the first Wednesday of the month, the mobile pantry goes to Vergas and Dent.

Executive Director John Leikness said when he started at The Bridge 10 years ago, they saw a total of 700 visits a year. In this last year, a total of 2,728 visits were seen by the pantry's volunteers.

About 90% of our annual income comes from donations and the other 10% is from grants Leikness said. Those donations that help support

Most of those donations come from the March campaign, which runs from March 1 through April 11. In the campaign, Minnesota food pantries raise funds that are then partially matched by Minnesota Food Share Leikness said.

Minnesota Food Share receives donations, especially from big contributors such as General Mills, that they then distribute to the food shelves and pantries based on how much they raise during the March campaign, Leikness said.

Leikness said the March campaign makes up about 40% of Perham's food panty's annual income.

Due to The Bridge being a smaller food pantry, the more funds they raise the better their match will be percentage-wise, Leikness said.

The Bridge Community Pantry exists to help those in the community who need help thanks to almost 40 volunteers and donations from the community.

The Bridge is able to do its work and serve those in the community in need because of the generosity and continued support of the community, Leikness said.

All donations for the March campaign must be made between Sunday, March 1, and the second week of April.

Donations can be taken to The Bridge Community Pantry 8 a.m.-noon Tuesdays. Donations can be mailed to The Bridge Community Pantry, P.O. Box 7, Perham, MN 56573, or made online at thebridgepantry.org .

Call The Bridge Community Pantry at 218-346-6181, email thebridgepantry@arvig.net or visit thebridgepantry.org .