Who We Are

Whole Orange
Whole Orange

Our Mission: Fighting Hunger. Nourishing Our Community.

We fight hunger at the intersection of food access, equity, & nutrition, breaking down barriers to growing food and sharing good food with those who need it most.

Our Vision: A Just & Equitable Food Sytem

We envision a just and equitable food system with sustainable opportunity for everyone to grow and eat affordable and culturally connected foods.

View Our Theory of Change
The Food Group believes in food equity. They believe in culturally specific foods. They believe in meeting people where they are at. And most of all, they believe in dignity.
The Food Group Volunteer & Donor

What We Bring to the Table

We’re community-led & rooted in Minnesota.

As a statewide nonprofit focused on ending hunger in Minnesota, we partner with local communities to create lasting change.

We emphasize nutritious & culturally connected foods.

We grow and supply nutritious foods that support long-term health across our programs and familiar foods that match people’s cultural preferences.

We work across the food system to create change.

We work across the food system from production to distribution, removing barriers to growing and eating nutritious food.
The through line is always food. Food is the heart of it all.
Sophia Lenarz-Coy
The Food Group Executive Director
The Food Group leadership and board team.

Our Leaders & Board

Meet the leaders and volunteer Board of Directors driving our work to create food for today and change for tomorrow.

Meet Our Leaders
Open Melon

Our Story

Collaboration has been at the heart of our work since day one. In 1976, 17 Hennepin County food shelves came together to share resources in the fight to end hunger in Minnesota. The Emergency Food Shelf Network—now The Food Group—was born out of this idea for a joint network of food shelves.  

Over 50 years, The Food Group has evolved to meet the needs of our community. Today, we partner with food shelves, farmers, and organizations across Minnesota to fight hunger and transform our food system.  

1976

Hennepin County Emergency Food Shelves founded.  

1977

Food distribution begins to 15 Hennepin County food shelves.  

1986

Renamed Emergency Foodshelf Network.  

1996

Food distribution expands across the Twin Cities metro.

1999

Mobile Food Shelf launches, serving residents of subsidized housing.   

2002

Fare For All joins the organization, expanding access to affordable groceries.  

2007

Organization adopts a strong focus on fresh produce and culturally connected foods.  

2013

Named #1 local hunger relief organization focused on health and nutrition by Philanthropy Partners.  

2014

Emergency Foodshelf Network becomes The Food Group to reflect our growing mission and impact.  

2015

Distributes a record 1 million pounds of fresh produce; acquires produce rescue program.  

2016

Receives Minnesota DHS Commissioner’s  Circle of Excellence Award.  

2017

Minnesota Food Association (now Big River Farms) becomes a program of The Food Group, expanding our work across the food system.  

2020

Twin Cities Mobile Market joins the organization, expanding access to affordable groceries.  

2021

Distributes a record 1.7 million pounds of culturally connected foods.  

2024

Hunger Solutions joins The Food Group, expanding our hunger relief programs and adding policy work.  

2024

Launches Agrisolar pilot in partnership with US Solar; receives national recognition with the Environmental Initiative Award and the Solar Farm of the Year Award.