The Fare For All Program

The Fare For All Program

By Hayley Severson, Minnesota Hunger Initiative Intern

The Fare For All Program was started 30 years ago and is still working toward the same goal it was working toward then: buying quality nutritious food in bulk, and selling it to all members of the community at a reduced rate. One of the Minnesota Hunger Initiative partners, The Food Group, is the organization heading the program. The headquarters are in New Hope, and on top of that there are over 30 sites across the state where the Fare For All program can be found.

Some facts about the program:

  • The food packages range in price from $10-$25
  • The food packages can give you a savings of up to 40 percent compared to grocery store prices
  • There are packages of varying sizes, ones that contain all produce, ones that contain all meat, and variety packs.
  • It is open to everyone. There is no minimum income requirement. The more people who buy food from the program, the more buying power the program will have. So using the program will also be helping others customers, not taking food away from them.
  • Cash, credit cards, debit cards, and EBT cards are all accepted at the sites.

Last week I visited the site in Anoka at Zion Lutheran Church and was impressed. The thing that I found the most valuable, aside from the discounted food, was how easy it was for people to get the food they need. It was organized and everything was labeled straightforwardly. There were staff and volunteers available to assist at every station, whether it be picking out the package, checking out, or getting the food to a vehicle.

With so many locations around the Twin Cities, as well as the whole state of Minnesota, the Fare For All Program is a great resource for all Minnesotans. To learn more you can visit the Fare For All website here.