PROP News and Events

e-newsletter

Issue 1, March 2023

COVID-19 Announcement

COVID-19 Announcement

You are are #1 priority!

PROP is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy food shelf for all.

Effective Wednesday, March 18: All PROP services will be done via phone. Call 952-937-9120 during office hours.

Food Orders will be available (a standard monthly food order based on household size). You MUST call PROP’s main line to place your order. Same Day Order & Pick Up Only.

Call in Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 9:30am-1pm, Wednesday eve – 3:00pm-6:30pm

 Case Managers are available via phone for ALL OTHER SERVICES.

 CALL PROP FOR ALL SERVICES: 952-937-9120

Announcement in Spanish

Announcement in Somali

Announcement in Russian

 

Empty Bowls

Empty Bowls

Empty Bowls: ENDING HUNGER ONE BOWL AT A TIME

Tuesday Feb., 18th at St. Andrew Lutheran Church

LUNCH 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

DINNER 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Together our community stands up and says, no more hunger, we are here for you! Join us for PROP’s 8th Annual Empty Bowls event – raising funds to end hunger that is right in our very own backyard.

Soup. Handmade Bowls. Silent Auction. Local Entertainment. 100% of proceeds go to PROP Food Shelf to help those in need.

2020 Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

St. Andrews Lutheran  Church

Zinpro Corporation

Sandcastle Foundation

Silver Sponsors

ACIST Medical Systems

Health e(fx)

Prairie School of Dance

ECA Marketing

Barr Engineering Co.

EA Sween

Western National Insurance

Concious Branding

George Wolff VFW Post # 425

Scheels

IWCO

Bronze Sponsors

Driasi

EP Noon Rotary

Charter Bank

Quantitative Advantage

Prairie Bluffs Senor Living

MidwestOne Bank

 

I am not hungry anymore – Talia

I am not hungry anymore – Talia

This is a story about Talia, she’s a first grader from a local Eden Prairie school. She was having a hard time focusing in class and didn’t seem to have the energy to play with her friends while outside for recess. Her teacher was concerned, so she asked the social worker with the school to spend some time with her and find out what might be happening. What the social worker found out was that Talia was hungry. Very hungry. After getting Talia some food from the cafeteria, the school contacted the family to connect them with organizations that could help. The family wasn’t aware of a local food shelf in their community, so when they called PROP they weren’t sure what to expect. Within the week, the family had met with a Case Manager for PROP, had their needs assessed, and they immediately got help with food assistance (including monthly grocery orders and weekly visits to the fresh pantry). Today, Talia is an active young girl who loves school, playing on the playground and having fun with friends. With PROP helping her family, she doesn’t worry about not having enough to eat.
 
PROP’s Holiday Gift Card Program

PROP’s Holiday Gift Card Program

What is the Holiday Gift Card Program & Who Are the recipients

A program that provides PROP recipients with a special $30 gift card in December for each child and senior in the family.

PROP clients who meet the requirements are eligible to participate in the program: Live in Eden Prairie or Chanhassen, are an active and regular user of PROP’s food shelf or market between January 1, 2019 – November 29, 2019, and have children 0-18 living in the home and/or be a senior citizen aged 59+ or older

Why Gift Cards not gifts?

It’s all about CHOICE.

  • We surveyed our clients and they all agreed that getting a gift card is the perfect, well, gift!
    • Many want to go out and purchase the surprise present their children were hoping for,
    • Others want to use it for their special holiday dinner,
    • Several seniors just want to have a little extra money to spend on their family during this wonderful, yet stressful time of year.
  • The choice is now theirs….a freedom they relish; a chance for them be the giver of the gift, not just the recipient. One client mentioned, “You help me be the hero in my son’s life since I get to go shopping for him!”

How can I sponsor a child or senior?

Here are TWO ways you can sponsor a child or senior:

  1. Go online to sponsor a child or senior.
  2. Buy in Store and Deliver as a Bundle
    • Determine number of kids/seniors you’d like to sponsor (let PROP know)
    • Have sponsors go to their local Target store and purchase a gift card worth $30 (please stress the importance of giving the exact amount to keep it equitable for all)
    • Have participants deliver gift cards back to your central hub and then set a delivery date with PROP for the entire bundle of cards.

Deadline for delivery of gift cards to PROP is Friday, November 29, 2019.

Questions? Contact Mary Brown, Director of Development (maryb@propfood.org or 952-746-1890)

 Thank you for investing in families and seniors by providing them with choice this holiday season. Your consideration of this program and the needs of PROP families and seniors is exactly the spirit of giving that makes us so grateful to have your support.

IN HONOR CARDS NOW AVAILABLE!! Want your gift to be in honor of someone? Print one of our free designs, fill out the details, and let someone know you were thinking of them while helping others this holiday season.

PROPerly Poised Fashion Show

PROPerly Poised Fashion Show

This spectacular fundraising event showcases the very latest in fashion trends – from clothing to jewelry to makeup (for women, men and this year, kids) – with 100% of the proceeds benefiting PROP, the local food shelf serving Eden Prairie and Chanhassen. The event features clothing and accessories from high end stores and local boutiques, with models, stylists, designers, and makeup artists from around the Twin Cities donating their time and talent. Both women and men’s fashion will be on display during the runway event.

Purchase your tickets here.

Summer Food For Kids

Summer Food For Kids

Why do we have our Summer Food for kids program?

During the summer, when children do not receive free/reduced lunch at school, we provide additional food to their families. Families often have difficulty securing enough food in the summer months. This summer the program fed more than 800 school age kids healthy and nutritious food, including kid-friendly staples like mac & cheese, peanut butter, sliced deli meat, yogurt, cheese sticks and granola bars.

How does the program work?

During the months of June, July, and August, families with school-aged children who access the food shelf (current and new clients) will be offered an additional “child pack” consisting of a two-week supply of kid/teen-friendly groceries. New families can choose to participate in the “child pack” program only, or to access additional food shelf programs and services, such as a monthly food order of groceries that feeds a family for a week.

How can you/your community or business partner with PROP as a summer food for kids sponsor?

The Goal: Our donation “wish list” is based on an estimate of serving 1000 unduplicated children during the summer months (40% of the total number of school aged children receiving free or reduced lunch in Eden Prairie and 10% in Chanhassen). We are looking for sponsors to cover specific non-perishable food supplies or donate cash for perishable foods that we need to keep fresh and stocked for the program.

To learn more, contact Mary Brown at 952-937-9120

A dream come true – Casey

A dream come true – Casey

Many of PROP’s clients can’t afford to send their kids to summer camps. With a little help from PROP some dreams do come true. Here is one.

Casey, a 10-year old girl who always loved collecting toy ponies, was able to attend a five-day horseback riding camp in summer of 2014. She was thrilled to ride a real horse and even got to pick a horse of her favorite color.  Thanks to PROP.

 

 

 

Help much needed – Maria

Help much needed – Maria

Maria, a single mom with two children came to PROP in pain, from an infected tooth. Her dentist would not help unless she paid in advance, and the tooth couldn’t be pulled or it would have created bigger problems later. Her choice was to pay the rent or take away the pain. She chose rent and went to PROP. PROP found a dentist for her and provided funds for the first payment. A payment plan was worked out and the kind dentist even gave a discount. With Youth scholarships from PROP, both her boys were able to participate in sports activities with children of their own age. PROP also referred her to English as a Second Language(ESL) classes, which she is attending now. She continues to use PROP Food Shelf, and Summer Food For Kids. She is working and her family is stabilized.

 

Leyla

Leyla

Leyla*, a vulnerable adult client, used PROP’s food shelf and occasionally got help with utilities and scholarship services. During a recent meeting with her, PROP’s Case Manager was concerned about her and after assessment found that she was dealing with increasingly debilitating mental health challenges. She was hesitant about approaching the county for help as she fought to keep her independence. PROP was able to build a plan with Carver County Social Services and Love Inc. to get Leyla access to the mental health and wrap around resources she needed. In meantime, Leyla continued to use the food shelf at PROP, but all other care was provided at the county level.