STAMP OUT HUNGER FOOD DRIVE DAY

The second Saturday in May is the largest one-day food drive in the nation named Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive Day. Occurring in more than 10,000 cities and towns, and the food is collected by those men and women carrying mail across the country.

With ever-increasing food prices at retail stores, FARE FOR ALL is a pop-up grocery store that is an excellent option to save money on your food budget. They offer fresh produce and frozen meat in bulk from wholesalers, manufacturers, and growers which will save you up to 40% off retail prices. Volunteers bundle it into $10 to $30 packages that are sold monthly at Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo.

FARE FOR ALL follows a co-op model, so the more people who shop, the greater the savings for everyone! Just stop by and shop!

The Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign is back for its 43rd year! The 2024 campaign will run from February 26th to April 6th.

If you have ever thought about doing a food/fund drive for the food shelf, now is a good time to start planning one!

We will report the number of pounds and dollars we receive during the campaign period to GMCC. This will make us eligible for some of the funding available in GMCC’s FoodFund. More information about the March Campaign can be found on the GMCC website – https://gmcc.org/march-campaign/

#marchcampaign#mnfoodshare#gmcc_mn

These 30 birthday bags were dropped off at the food shelf last night! Thanks to the kids from St. Timothy Catholic School in Maple Lake for putting them together to donate to the food shelf.

On January 1st, the Buffalo area Masonic Lodge, Nelson Lodge No. 135 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons (AF & AM), began the 13th Annual Food Shelf Matching Funds Drive program. The drive will run until February 29th.

Once again, the Lodge is focusing its efforts on the Buffalo and Annandale/ Maple Lake area food shelves. Nelson Lodge is partnering with the Order of the Eastern Star (OES), Galilee Chapter No. 53, which is a Masonic appendant body, in this year’s funding drive. Both entities will apply for matching funds from Minnesota Masonic Charities.

How can you help donate to Buffalo Food Shelf?

Make your donation by writing a check payable to: Nelson Masonic Lodge No. 135, or Galilee Chapter No. 53. In the memo area of your check, write “Buffalo Food Shelf” so that they know which food shelf you would like to support. Checks can be dropped off at Old National Bank or mailed to Old National, Attn Mason’s Food Shelf Drive, 910 Commercial Drive, Buffalo, MN 55313.

Please DO NOT make your check payable to the food shelf, as it will not qualify for matching funds.

The food shelf will receive one hundred percent of all donations in March, allowing us the opportunity to take advantage of the Minnesota Food Share Program for further benefits.

GWe’ll be celebrating 15 years of Give to the Max in 2023! Plan to join GiveMN and thousands of Minnesota nonprofits and schools as we raise millions of dollars together for the organizations which make our communities stronger. More information will be released in summer 2023.ve to the Max Day

December 13

The Holiday Train is a great way to get into the festive spirit. It’s about 1,000 feet in length with 14 brightly decorated rail cars. Each one is lit with hundreds of thousands of LEDs and holiday designs celebrating the spirit of the giving season.

Depending on the day, visitors can enjoy free musical performances by Tenille Townes and Breland or Dallas Smith and MacKenzie Porter. Any food or cash donations will also benefit the local community.

12/13 Buffalo at 5th Street NE railway crossing (5:45 p.m.)

The Local Impact

Buffalo Toys for Tots 2023

2,788 Toys Distributed

486 Children Supported

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We provide toys for families in the cities of Buffalo and Montrose only.  Distribution Day for toys for 2023 will be on Saturday, December 9, 2023.   

Applications

Applications will be received November 1 – December 1, 2023. Applications should be mailed to:  Buffalo Rotary Toys For Tots, PO Box 501, Buffalo, MN 55313

Applications will be available at the following locations after November 1, 2023:

• Buffalo Food Shelf
• Wright County Human Services
• Buffalo Chamber of Commerce
• www.buffalorotary.com

Applications may also be submitted electronically through this website starting on November 1, 2023.

Verification/Documentation for Distribution Day

This year we will, again, be very strictly enforcing the requirement that parents present an ORIGINAL (not photocopy) birth certificate or a CURRENT YEAR school photo identification for each child, as well as an identification card for the parent (and if the identification card does not have a Buffalo or Montrose address, a current utility bill with a Buffalo or Montrose address).  Toys will not be provided if this information is not brought with them on registration day.

Donations

Cash donations are very much appreciated and may be made via this website or by mailing a check to Buffalo Rotary Toys for Tots, P.O. Box 501, Buffalo, MN 55313. Any donations that you make through this local Rotary Club of Buffalo Toys For Tots website will stay local and will be used to purchase a toy for a child in Buffalo or Montrose.

Toy donations (new and unwrapped) may be made at any of the drop boxes located throughout the Buffalo and Montrose community (available approximately mid-November – mid-December).  For a list of locations, please see the link on this website.