A food shelf in Golden Valley faced a tough loss when a power outage forced it to throw away a lot of perishable food. On September 20, lightning hit a nearby power line, cutting off electricity at PRISM for 12 hours. When power returned, their walk-in refrigerator malfunctioned and needed repairs.
Unfortunately, this meant nearly 2,700 pounds of milk, cheese, and deli items had to be discarded. Because of the outage, PRISM also had to temporarily close its thrift store, Shop for Change, which generates funds to support the food shelf.
Executive Director Michelle Ness reported an estimated loss of $7,500, stating that they had never experienced anything like this before. “Food safety is really critical,” she said. “We had a lot of milk we needed to dispose of.”
Power outages have increased in the Twin Cities recently, according to Xcel Energy. PRISM is now looking to raise funds for a backup generator, which costs about $15,000, to prevent this situation from happening again. “Food purchases are one of our largest expenses,” Ness added, emphasizing the need for better backup plans.
As of now, it’s unclear if they will be able to recover any losses through insurance. This loss comes at a time of greater need; PRISM has seen a 36% increase in visits since last year, with many first-time attendees, including seniors and families facing health issues.
Despite this setback, Ness remains committed to the community. “Our dedication to helping those in need will not waver,” she said. You can support PRISM through donations at Prismmpls.org/donate/.
This incident highlights how food security is increasingly impacted by infrastructure issues. A recent survey by the USDA found that 10.5% of U.S. households were food insecure at some point in 2022, a situation that has likely worsened due to inflation and the rising cost of living.
In response to this crisis, community support plays a vital role. Social media trends show that local support networks are quickly mobilizing to assist food shelves like PRISM. Many are sharing fundraising and donation drives using hashtags like #SupportLocalFoodShelves, emphasizing a community-wide effort to bolster food security.
With growing needs and increasing challenges, it’s more important than ever for communities to come together and support organizations that provide essential services.
For more information, check out PRISM’s efforts on their official site or the news report from CCX Media.
