Hats off to the Saint Croix Band of Chippewa for their Food Giveaway
Feeding the Hungry in a Pandemic
The dauntless Jennifer Bearheart coordinates efforts for the weekly food giveaway program. As the Aging Unit Director for the Saint Croix Band of Chippewa, she and her colleagues jumped at the chance to coordinate food giveaway for the area.
Every Thursday morning, trucks roll in with dairy products, meat, and produce like potatoes, onions and fruit. Meanwhile, the cars line up...literally hundreds of cars! After the food is unloaded from the semi and straight trucks, volunteers distribute the food boxes to the waiting cars.
The food is distributed as part of the USDA Farmers to Families program. Its program was developed to help get food to hungry families during the pandemic.
The Saint Croix Band of Chippewa
The Saint Croix Band of Chippewa is based in Hertel, Wisconsin. It distributes food to its own tribal members as well as their neighbors in the surrounding counties.
Because of the leadership of Jennifer Bearheart, her colleagues at the Saint Croix Tribal Office and the volunteers, local parents now have enough food in the pantry to feed their hungry children.
You can follow the food giveaway on its Facebook page.
Video Stories
One of the weekly volunteers is Bob Metoxen, videographer for Hats Off America, White Buffalo Websites, and Metoxen Media. He chronicled the food giveaway with the following videos. Check out his Hats Off Videos!
As a recipient of the food boxes and a elder tribal member. I deeply appreciate the help. Jenny and the crew always had smiles working in the cold to get everyone loaded up. I always grabbed a few extra boxes to deliver to those that couldn’t make it. I met a beautiful elder lady in Grantsburg during my deliveries and she was on my weekly list. When I would see our youth helping, and if I had a little cash, I would give a little tip to them for helping, More smiles. I still remember the look on the young man’s face when I gave him 20 at the last giveaway, he looked and said ‘really’ then his face lit up with a big smile, he said Thank you, I said Miigwech (thank YOU)
That was totally awesome. And the biggest thanks ever!!!!!