Transcript · Ham Lake

Ham LakeTranscriptWednesday, December 24, 2025

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[0:00] Watch out. Watch out. [0:03] >> We normally distribute on Mondays [0:05] serving about 750 to 850 families. But [0:10] because of what's happening with [0:13] immigrant population, a lot of them are [0:14] afraid to come out and uh get food. Our [0:18] numbers have plummeted almost 50% in the [0:21] last two weeks. Uh so a church in [0:25] Minneapolis called us uh DHH Church and [0:28] asked for 40 boxes. about uh two weeks [0:30] ago and now that number is up right [0:34] around 10,000 boxes of food that they [0:36] need to deliver. So today that's all [0:39] we're doing is packing boxes and sending [0:42] them out to them so they can get it out [0:43] to people that uh uh are pretty [0:46] desperate in desperate need of food. [0:48] Mana market was started in 2008 over at [0:51] Centennial Square Mobile Home Community. [0:54] Uh we ran a community center there, a u [0:58] community outreach program. Uh we saw [1:01] kids but we never seen the adults. So um [1:06] we started a community meal uh on Friday [1:09] nights and that was very successful. We [1:11] got to meet all the adults and parents [1:13] and stuff like that and didn't realize [1:17] the stuff that was happening in my own [1:19] backyard. That stuff only happens on a [1:22] news, not in my backyard. People going [1:24] hungry. Uh, as I got to know the adults, [1:27] they would just share with me their [1:29] their life situation. They weren't they [1:31] weren't like, "Wo is me." They were just [1:33] saying, "Yeah, this week it's so nice to [1:35] have produce and and and baked goods to [1:38] eat because we don't have anything [1:39] else." From there, it just kept growing [1:42] and growing and growing. So, we need 60 [1:45] to 80 volunteers a day. And every day, [1:49] every day that we're open, we we get the [1:51] volunteers coming out. [1:52] >> I mean, I just think it's a good thing [1:54] that everyone should do. Everyone should [1:55] try to volunteer like in as local of [1:57] their community as possible because [1:59] that's where you have the biggest [2:00] impact. You can kind of like wave your [2:01] hands in terror at what's going on [2:03] nationally, but when it comes to your [2:04] local community, you can actually do [2:06] something. I volunteer three days a week [2:08] here. I like I like doing this. It helps [2:12] a lot of people. and we can take for [2:14] specific our specific families that I [2:17] help. I helped nine families get food. [2:20] And so I I'm happy to be able to do [2:22] that. But the other part of it is I'm [2:25] retired and I'm bored at home. [2:28] I loved it so much that I brought my [2:29] grandma with me. So this is my grandma [2:31] Betty. And I also bring my kids. So [2:35] they've been volunteering with me for [2:36] about five years as well. So just [2:38] bringing um my children and seeing them [2:41] serve learn about food recovery um it's [2:46] just it's just wonderful. [2:47] >> So we're not only feeding people, we're [2:49] feeding animals. [2:50] >> If it's not something I would eat or or [2:53] beyond a date, [2:54] >> we get rid of it and that goes there. [2:57] Then there are farmers that come and [2:58] pick up the food. [2:59] >> What I love about it is, you know, [3:01] families do struggle a lot during this [3:02] time of the year. there's a lot of extra [3:04] stress and so uh I know at one point [3:06] they had said it's about $70 per box [3:09] that they give out and so having the [3:11] families have some of their financial [3:14] strains maybe covered as well as knowing [3:16] that someone in love packed a box it [3:19] just brings the love of God in a very [3:21] practical way. [3:22] >> It's basically my fate. I feel called [3:25] and you know my father always taught me [3:27] if you anything worth doing is worth [3:29] doing well. So, I guess I'm doing well [3:32] because we're one of the top five [3:33] biggest food shops in the state. We we [3:36] always kid around that we're the best [3:37] kept secret in Anoka County. A lot of [3:39] people have not heard about us now. [3:41] Maybe a lot more will. You can check out [3:44] our website, manarket mn. We just [3:46] delivered 4600 [3:49] boxes.
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