Teamster Food Shelf Expect High Demand In August

Minnesota's only labor-run food shelf founded to help union workers during hard times in 1984 has since become a community food shelf helping thousands of families a year.

The food shelf has a food distribution center and a warehouse, both located at the Teamsters Local 638 building on University Avenue.

It provides a wide range of food options such as canned food, meat, grains, bread and milk. Furniture and other home amenities from their warehouse are also available.

The Teamsters Food Shelf distributed around 17,620 pounds of food to people in the month of July and expect an even larger amount in August.

Food needs increased tremendously during and after the pandemic. The number of visiting families has increased from 600 in 2017 to 2,177 in 2023 up to this month, according to the data provided by the food shelf management team.

“The month of August is probably going to be the highest month ever,” said Chuck Schlicthtman, the manager of the food shelf. “Because three trucking companies just went down, which affects probably over 400 drivers and dockmen in the cities.”

Schlicthtman said now they are expecting to handle around 100 households each week.

Lyndon Johnson, the chairperson of the food shelf, said on average 25-50 households visit the food shelf each week. In some cases, people drive from as far as 90 miles away to the food shelf.

According to Johnson, the food shelf added a new refrigerator on Aug. 2 through a new state grant for programs that participate in The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) – a federal program that provides food to families in need. In March, Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill providing $5 million to Minnesota food shelves.

Johnson said the food shelf is trying to make the process of accessing food as easy as possible for people in need, including volunteers and staff delivering food and supplies to visitors' cars to make the process easier.

“We would rather for them to come here to get food from us than not to pay their mortgage or their rent and become homeless or not to buy their medication,” Johnson said.

Besides providing supplies to visitors, the Teamsters Food Shelf is also an important place for union retirees to continue contributing their skills to society after retirement.

Richard Wheeler, a retired member who lived in Mankato and drove to volunteer for two years, said he volunteered at the food shelf because he was impressed by its mission and he wants to give back to the union.

As an officer and a teamster member since the 1970s, Wheeler said he wanted to continue to be with the union and engage with people after his retirement. He said the mission has a broader meaning since his retirement because he can now help people more directly.

Joel Thompson, a long-time union member and a volunteer at the food shelf for nine years, also said this is the first position he looked at after his retirement.

“The union is important to me, so I wanted to stay with them,” Thompson said. “And the idea of a food shelf is so necessary. I think we're doing good work.”

Wheeler and Thompson said though they used to have different jobs, came from different locales and had different backgrounds, the food shelf volunteer job gives them an opportunity to become friends.

Johnson also said being able to serve people at the food shelf and see the need of food fulfilled brings joy to him.

“When I say bring joy to me, it's not what I do. It’s for how I see the reaction of the people when they come in, and to need to be served.” Johnson said.