Food Share Month brings in KC donation to Food Shelf

Kasson and Byron Knights of Columbus are the latest group to make a donation to the Dodge County Food Shelf during March’s Food Share Month. The group presented a check for $1,500 to the Food Shelf on Monday.
The local group is made up of men who are members of Holy Family in Kasson and Christ the King in Byron.
Allen O’Donnell, the Knights financial secretary, said that the organization is involved in helping organizations in the two communities and that a raffle held each year provides much of the money given to the Food Shelf. The donation was made in March, he said, because of Food Share Month.
Jami Morris of the Food Shelf said that donations such as the one from the Knights of Columbus are very much appreciated.
Morris said that the Food Shelf has been very busy with a steady stream of clients.
Money from donations, such as the Knights of Columbus, she said, helps keep the shelves at the Food Shelf filled. While donations of both money and food are welcomed throughout the year, she said, they are especially needed during March when they help SEMCAC get grants to purchase additional items.
Food Share Month is a project of the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches. The monetary donations are added up and the food donated is weighed and those totals are submitted to the Council of Churches that then provides grant money based on the pounds and dollars submitted.
For those who prefer to bring in food items, Morris said, they can also use pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, soup, flour, sugar, canned meat such as tuna, SPAM and chicken. During summer months farmers and gardeners can also donate produce.
They generally accept meat only if it canned as all meat distributed needs to be USDA certified.
She also added that hygiene items are always accepted including soap, laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. “We’re always short on hygiene items,” she said.
The Food Shelf is not a grocery store, Morris said, and not all grocery needs can be met there. However, the items a person or family gets from the Food Shelf can free up other funds for groceries and other expenses.
The Food Shelf also receives donations from the local Hy-Vee and Kwik Trip stores.
For the Knights of Columbus, the Food Shelf donations are part of their mission to help others.
O’Donnell said the organization was originally founded in the United States but has since grown to be a worldwide group.
The main goal of the Knights of Columbus, O’Donnell said, is to support the parishes and also the communities. They provide financial support to four seminarians in the Rochester-Winona Diocese, and give two $500 scholarships each year to one graduate from each of the local high schools. They support Coats for Kids which provides coats to youngsters who need them and is operated by Catholic Charities.
They can be found in April selling Tootsie Rolls to raise money to help disabled people locally including those participating in Special Olympics.