PROP distributed canned goods, pasta and perishable items such as meat, milk and fresh produce during its mobile food distribution at Eden Prairie Center. Photo by Rachel Hoppe
PROP (People Reaching Out to People) Food Shelf hosted a mobile distribution, giving out 15,321 pounds of food to 390 households on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Distribution, hosted at the old JCPenney parking lot at the Eden Prairie Center, began at 10 a.m., said Jenifer Loon, PROP’s executive director. That did not stop clients from lining up before 9 a.m.
Loon said there was a steady flow of clients until about noon, but people continued to visit even after the initial rush. PROP gave food to 390 households, or 1,507 individuals within those households.
“It was very steady,” Loon said. “I went back a couple of times and counted, and there were 100 people waiting in line.”
PROP connected with Brooklyn Park-based Second Harvest Heartland, one of the nation’s largest food banks, to use its mobile food distribution truck so the food shelf could provide perishable items like fresh produce, milk and chicken, Loon said. Board member Brad Banham first introduced PROP to the idea because he used to work at Second Harvest.
Loon said PROP brought three carloads of food to the site, in addition to what Second Harvest supplied. Second Harvest provided potatoes, onions, carrots and apples; PROP added chicken and canned goods.
“There was close to 12,000 pounds of the produce and the meat in the truck,” Loon said. “And then we’ve brought over three vanloads full of canned and boxed items.”
Eden Prairie-based E.A. Sween also provided pre-packaged chicken salad sandwiches, which went very quickly.
Loon said they tried to provide a mix of Thanksgiving and household staples, like stuffing mix and canned tuna. PROP volunteers continued bringing food from the food shelf to the distribution site to keep it stocked as people visited.
She said clients’ responses were overwhelmingly positive, and many asked if PROP would do something like this again.
“People are super, super grateful,” Loon said. “People are just saying, ‘You don’t know how much this helps me and my family.’ Just a lot of gratitude.”
PROP is exploring ways to continue the mobile food distribution service after seeing people’s response, Loon said. The food shelf is looking for new host sites, such as local churches or schools, and is even considering a drive-thru model for the winter months.
Loon added that there is a lot of need during the holiday season and year-round, a situation worsened by the government shutdown and changes to SNAP benefits. Donations from community members help make initiatives like this one possible.
“We get a lot of donations as we get them close to the holidays, and then with the SNAP distribution disruption, we’ve just had so much generosity, people donating canned items and that,” Loon said. “So let’s bring it over and get it to people who need it.”
Loon thanked donors for helping PROP, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that assists Eden Prairie and Chanhassen residents struggling with food, housing or employment needs.
“My thanks to the community, because, again, all these canned items, the boxes of pasta and all that is because the community has donated a lot of food, so we have food to give out,” Loon said.
More to read: For more ways to give or get help, see EPLN’s list of local food-assistance resources.