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When Feeding Area Children Together (FACT) Director and Co-Founder Sara Greenberg-Hassan’s son asked if taking food from a school cafeteria trash can was stealing, she wasn’t expecting to take on a new role as community problem-solver. The mom of four was seven months pregnant with her youngest child then. But during the ensuing conversation, Greenberg-Hassan’s children began sharing stories of classmates who went to the nurse’s office every Monday morning with empty, aching tummies or those who nervously wondered if there would be enough food left for them by the time they got to the end of the cafeteria serving line. The family conversation about food insecurity and the realities of kids not having enough to eat made everyone think. Greenberg-Hassan’s second grader asked, “What will we do about this?” His question haunted the young mother as she wondered what some of her kids’ peers were experiencing and what her role was in helping them.
An Unexpected Answer
In the weeks that followed, Greenberg-Hassan found herself meeting with friends to find answers, and they approached United Way of Central Minnesota to see what could be done. She thought, “Oh, this is perfect. United Way will take on this project, and we can go home.” Leaders at UWCM listened and said, “You’re a group of parents, and you can totally take on this project. You can do this better than anyone else, and we’ll help you along the way.”
Greenberg-Hassan left feeling that answer was not the one she was expected, but also empowered with the knowledge that UWCM felt solving this issue was something they could accomplish. Soon after, the group applied for 501(c)(3) status, and FACT was born.
FACT’s mission is to bridge the food gap for students when school is not in session through three services:
- FACT Packs that provide nutritious, full meals and high-quality snacks
- School food pantries that offer shelf-stable food for students to take home
- Break Boxes that provide fresh food and pantry staples that last a week or longer when school is not in session
FACT Packs are discreetly distributed to K-8 students most in need within four local school districts on weekends and over breaks. They are free of charge and made possible through grant funding, donations and volunteer time. FACT is not a government program, yet it serves over 430 students with 2,580 weekly meals.
Responsive Funding Fuels FACT
Rising food costs and juggling the expense of basic needs are a reality for many people, and food insecurity is high, with one in five Central Minnesota students unsure of where their next meal will come. Because of this great need, FACT will receive UWCM responsive funding during the 2024-25 investment cycle. This unique pool of funding addresses urgent community needs during UWCM’s two-year investment cycle through its Community Resiliency (formerly known as the Safety Net) impact area. UWCM’s Director of Financial Stability and Community Resiliency, Alexis Lutgen, explains that funding decisions are locked in for two years. Still, a lot can happen in that time. “Needs and emergencies within the community become apparent and United Way of Central Minnesota needs the ability to respond.”
Community Resiliency funding invests into partners and programs that provide urgent, short-term help like emergency food, housing, child care—and more. This kind of stop-gap funding connects with a program’s longer-term solutions that address the systemic issues often placing individuals and families into crisis.
Access to Food Ensures Better Outcomes at School, Work and in the Community
Nutritious food is a basic need and FACT provides an essential service to the community. Greenberg-Hassan explains that food insecurity affects stress levels, family relations, learning outcomes, work performance and overall health. “One of the more silent outcomes of not having enough food is the stress and anxiety levels that increase within the family. It’s stressful to be a parent or caregiver and not be able to provide full, complete meals every time your child says, ‘I’m hungry.’ And that impacts relationships within the family, a parent’s anxiety and their mental health. Food insecurity definitely impacts children when they come to school hungry and stressed. They bring that into the community with them. When making decisions, their parents bring that stress into work and think, ‘Can I fill my car up with gas and go to work again tomorrow morning, or should I spend that money on food to feed my kids dinner tonight or this weekend?’ Making those kinds of trade-offs sit with a parent for a long time and are stressful. I think that the parent’s performance at work decreases, the kid’s performance at school decreases and overall, our community struggles.”
FACT Packs ensure kids are fed and that caregivers have enough money in the budget for other essentials. Greenberg-Hassan says that if parents know their kids are coming home with a FACT Pack, they’re set for their meals over the weekend, and then other family members—often non-school-aged siblings or members of the family—are also going to be fed.
FACT Packs Provide More Than Meals
Beyond providing meals and snacks, FACT teaches children and the community about care and giving back. Greenberg-Hassan recalls a moment that was a revelation about FACT’s impact on people. She was working within one of the schools the organization serves when a young student she had interacted with in the past approached her and said, “I have good news!” Greenberg-Hassan asked what this could be. The student looked at her and said, “Pretty soon, my mom starts a new job and we’re going to the grocery store for food.” She looked at him and said, “Oh, I’m so happy for you! That must feel so good.” The boy gave her a funny look and explained, “That’s not my good news. My good news is now you can give my pack to someone else.”
At that moment, Greenberg-Hassan realized what FACT was teaching this particular student and many others. “We were teaching a vital lesson to all of the kids. What didn’t register for me before that conversation was that he didn’t really know me or any of the volunteers, but he did know that there were people in the community who cared about him when he needed it most. That child realized that when he was given an opportunity to get meals, he could then pass on the care he had received to another person who needed help. I think that sense of community and giving back is available to anybody and probably one of the biggest lessons that FACT teaches: this kind of caring isn’t so hard and everybody can help.”
Greenberg-Hassan has big dreams for FACT. Her hope is that one day, there is no more need for a waitlist of kids who need help. “My wish would be that we could continually serve kids on a regular basis and that everyone who needs a FACT Pack can access one.” Greenberg-Hassan says UWCM funding through the Community Resiliency pillar helps FACT do more sustainability planning so the organization can continue serving the kids they have promised to serve throughout the year they committed to helping them. “We try to fund the program one full year in advance, so that when we begin feeding a student on the list, we know we can continue to do so throughout that academic year. United Way gave us that initial boost and empowered us to take this on. And UWCM continues to walk this path with us by providing ongoing support, advice and financial assistance. United Way wants to make sure programs are established sustainably so that organizations are established long-term to solve bigger issues that continue to impact our community.”
Greenberg-Hassan knows food insecurity can happen to many people from any walk of life, including children, families, older and young adults. Not having enough food is a widespread issue, impacting many designated as ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed)—an acronym that describes those who earn above the federal poverty level yet don’t make enough money to cover all essential needs. These households are part of every community in Central Minnesota, and food insecurity affects us all. “A hungry child cannot perform as well in school as they can when their belly is full, which has repercussions for all kids. When a child is hungry, they may act out. Those behavioral issues come up when a student doesn’t have enough to eat, ultimately affecting all kids in the classroom and the school. Food insecurity is something that really reverberates across our community, whether we are food insecure ourselves or not.”
UWCM and FACT Collaborate for Community Resiliency
UWCM is dedicated to supporting programs that provide access to resources in support of Community Resiliency, like those offered by FACT. United Way enables them to help community members effectively during emergencies and remains committed to removing barriers that keep friends and neighbors in need and from achieving their fullest potential. Funding for Community Resiliency is integral to UWCM’s broader efforts to provide local individuals and families the support they require during critical times.
Learn more about how to support UWCM’s impact areas, including Community Resiliency.
When we work together to give, volunteer and advocate in Central Minnesota, we create a community where all can thrive.
