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Monday 8am - 6pm Tuesday 8am - 6pm Wednesday 8am - 6pm Thursday 8am - 6pm Friday 8am - 12pm

Channel One Regional Food Bank

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Rochester, MN
Channel One Regional Food Bank

Channel One is a local food shelf and regional food bank that serves southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Channel One Regional Food Bank acts as a clearinghouse of donated food by gathering, warehousing and repackaging donated food from producers, manufacturers, wholesalers, brokers and retailers. Through our programs below, food is then distributed to food shelves and other charitable 501(c)(3) agencies in southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

• Channel One Food Bank: Warehouse and food distrib

ution center which serves 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

• Channel One Food Shelf: Food for people facing food insecurity in Olmsted County.

• Kitchen Coalition - Rochester: Public/private partnership that provides prepared meals using donated food to those facing hunger in our community.

• Mobile Pantry: Drive-through food distribution in rural communities and areas with limited access to food and programs.

• Mobile Markets: Food shelf experience at areas of high identified need for people who encounter transportation barriers.

• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP): Supplemental boxes of USDA nutritious food to improve the health of seniors in need.

08/26/2026

🎨 Paint a Bowl. Make a Difference.

The 22nd Annual Empty Bowls is coming this October 2026, proudly presented by Think Mutual Bank! 🍲

🧑‍🎨 This year, you can help support Empty Bowls by visiting Jessica’s Paint Your Own Pottery and painting a bowl for a purpose! Each hand-painted bowl serves as a reminder of those in our community who may not know where their next meal is coming from.

Gather your friends or family, get creative, and help support Channel One Regional Food Bank, one bowl at a time! 💛

🎨 Learn more about painting a bowl with Jessica’s Paint Your Own Pottery at jessicaspyop.com/channel-one.

➡️ For more information about Empty Bowls, visit HelpingFeedPeople.org/Empty-Bowls.

08/12/2026

💼 We are Hiring!
Channel One is currently hiring for several full-time positions dedicated to helping fight food insecurity and make an impact in the community. Help support our mission by providing food and resources to neighbors facing hunger.

Learn more and apply today:
🔗 HelpingFeedPeople.org/Employment

08/09/2026

🏠Neighbor Stories

At 23 years old, Emily has achieved the career she always dreamed of. But only a few years ago, that future was far from guaranteed. While pursuing her nursing degree, Emily was simultaneously caring for her disabled mother, working to support herself, and navigating the financial realities of college.

“The financial difficulty really, for me, going through college was just trying to manage everything at once.” Throughout that period, SNAP became one of the vital tools that enabled her to continue her education. Rather than solving every financial challenge, it helped relieve one of the most immediate burdens—putting food on the table—so she could remain focused on school, caregiving, and building her future. “You shouldn't have to choose between gas and bills and heat versus going to the grocery store and buying food. With the help of SNAP benefits, I was able to make sure that my bills were paid... but always having that security of knowing my fridge and my pantry was full.”

Emily emphasizes that SNAP alone could not cover every need. Even with benefits, there were times when additional support from Second Harvest Northland's food shelf became essential. Here, Emily was able to pick up fresh produce, dry goods and other nutritional items to help fill that gap. “Second Harvest Food Shelf came and saved our life, sometimes when we just couldn't make ends meet at the end of the month.”

Together, these resources work hand in hand. Food banks help people like Emily through immediate gaps, while SNAP provides a foundation that allows people to keep moving forward. Today, Emily works full-time as a registered nurse. Her mother has since passed away, but the values she instilled live on through Emily’s work every day. “SNAP helped me during my darkest times. Now I’m flourishing and no longer need those benefits to get me through every day. I’m very proud that I’ve made it to a place where that help to going to people who need it as much as I did.”

Learn more about SNAP at 🔗FeedingAmerica.org/SnapFacts

08/05/2026

🏠Neighbor Stories

Amber Lightfeather knows what it means to stretch a dollar. As a working mother in Duluth, MN, she spent years doing exactly that—picking up extra hours where she could, going back to school in-between shifts and finding creative ways to keep her family fed. But when Amber had her fourth child and faced a complicated recovery during maternity leave, she applied for SNAP benefits as a way to make ends meet.

“Having SNAP lifted off quite a bit of stress,” she said. “I was able to buy nutritional things that I needed to get back to helping and raising my children. I like to cook and I like to make really good foods. It was really empowering that I could actually just go do that." Having experienced firsthand how impactful SNAP can be, Amber felt compelled to act. “I gave always been the kind of person that can’t just sit and watch things happen. I have to be a part of the solution.”

In 2022 and 2023, she testified in front the Minnesota State Senate to advocate for federal nutrition programs, and her words left a mark. Minnesota expanded SNAP eligibility thresholds as a direct result of her testimony. Today, Amber holds a master’s degree in public health and is working towards a doctorate—all while empowering her kids to carry her spirit forward. “I want to set an example for my kids and my children, that advocacy is something you can accomplish. I have hope that these next generations are going to make a big difference in this world.”

Learn more about SNAP at 🔗FeedingAmerica.org/SnapFacts

08/01/2026

August Dates for Mobile Pantries!

🍎 Friday, August 14: 10: 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. at Riverland Community College
🍎 Thursday, August 20: 3:30–5:30 PM at Riverland Community College
🍎 Friday, August 21: 2:30–4:30 PM at Tafco Equipment, Blue Earth
🍎 Friday, August 28: 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. at Riverland Community College

🔗 For full details, visit: HelpingFeedPeople.org/Mobile-Food-Pantry

07/28/2026

Get Ready for the 22nd annual Empty Bowls To-Go: Coming early October 2026 presented .mn

🎨🖌️Paint a bowl, to serve as a reminder for those who may not know where their next meal is coming from (details in the link in our bio and then select "Empty Bowls To-Go 2026" from the menu or at 🔗https://jessicaspyop.com/channel-one).

Learn more about this to-go style event with gourmet soups and bread from local restaurants and hand-painted bowls at HelpingFeedPeople.org/Empty-Bowls.

07/26/2026

🏠 Neighbor Spotlight

As CEO of Second Harvest Northland, a food bank serving a 150 county region across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin, Shaye Moris has spent 28 years building a community for the neighbors served.

But Shaye is also the first to admit that Second Harvest can’t do it alone.
‘Food banks are largely accessing donated or surplus product,” she explains. “That means we might not have all the products available that our neighbors desire. So SNAP is an important component. People can actually go to the grocery store and purchase the items that we might not have in supply. They work really hand in hand together.”

Amidst the rising costs of living, Shaye understands just how vital a program SNAP can be—not only to help neighbors make ends meet, but to ensure stability in a time of extreme uncertainty.

“When people have access to SNAP, it allows them not to focus on where they're going to get their next meal, but it allows them to focus on stabilizing their families—whether that's picking up their kids, bringing them to the doctor, furthering their education, or finding better employment. That stability really helps families think next steps.”

07/17/2026

When school lets out for the summer, many local families lose access to the school meals their kids depend on. For households already managing tight budgets, that gap can make summer the hardest stretch of the year.

Channel One works to make sure that gap doesn't mean empty plates. With your support, we can keep nutritious food within reach for local kids, seniors, and families all summer long. 🍎

Every donation helps us meet the rising need this season brings. Give today: HelpingFeedPeople.org/Donate

07/16/2026

"Things can change quickly, and we rely on food assistance in times like this."

Robert's words say what so many families know. Food banks play an essential role, but charitable food assistance alone can't meet the need. For every meal the Feeding America network provides, SNAP provides nine.

Together, SNAP and the Feeding America network help families access the food they need and build stronger, more resilient communities. SNAP supports families.

💡Learn more: FeedingAmerica.org/SnapFacts

07/10/2026

Summer is one of our busiest seasons at Channel One, as more neighbors turn to us for support while school meal programs pause. Our volunteers are the ones who keep things run smoothly behind the scenes.

Whether you've got a few hours or a whole afternoon, there's a place for you here. No experience necessary, just a willingness to help your community. 🍎

Sign up for a shift this summer:
🔗HelpingFeedPeople.org/Volunteer

Address

131 35th Street SE
Rochester, MN
55904

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 6pm
Tuesday	8am - 6pm
Wednesday	8am - 6pm
Thursday	8am - 6pm
Friday	8am - 12pm

Telephone

+15072872350

Website

http://www.helpingfeedpeople.org/

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