Partnering with YMCA to provide nutritious food during pandemic

The Sheridan Story and the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities are partnering to provide free, nutritious food to families in the community to ensure youth have food during this unprecedented pandemic.

The YMCA is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, making it a great fit and distribution point for children and families to access food.

“We have swiftly shifted to a model that can rapidly respond to the drastically larger food gap caused by statewide school closures, and the YMCA is a key partner making it possible to serve children and families.”

– Rob Williams, executive director of The Sheridan Story.

We have provided over 10,000 food bags containing nearly 40,000 meals. These are available at 26 YMCA locations in the Twin Cities, Hudson and Rochester. Beginning March 25, families can stop by the front doors at designated Y sites and pick up a free bag of food. YMCA membership is not required. Supplies are limited. Please practice social distancing when picking up food.

“We are grateful to partner with The Sheridan Story to ensure all of our families in our community have access to food during this very difficult time and no child goes hungry.”

– Glen Gunderson, president and CEO of the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities.

For those who may not have easy access to a Y, we have also been working closely with over 30 districts in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin to provide food at their designated food distribution points for their students. For families needing food, they should contact the school district in which they live to find out what nutrition resources are available during this time. Most school districts will not require enrollment of a child in the district in order to receive assistance; help is available to all children who reside within a district’s boundaries.

For more information on how to support YMCA community response programs and services, visit www.ymcamn.org/give. For information on how to support The Sheridan Story, go to www.thesheridanstory.org/coronavirus