FFEN - Foundation for Essential Needs

10/05/2026

Attention food shelf leaders: Gain advanced insights and strategies to develop sustainable, shopper-focused distribution programs, explore food sourcing and distribution methods with practical tools and resources, and learn best practices for managing fresh foods to minimize waste.

Join us at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 13 for Fresh Food First: Optimizing Food Shelf Operations, an interactive training designed for staff and volunteers who manage the day-to-day responsibilities of food shelves.

Register here:

Fresh Food First: Optimizing Food Shelf Operations is designed for those managing the day-to-day responsibilities of a food shelf, providing actionable guidance to improve efficiency and impact. This session is offered virtually every other month on the 2nd Tuesday, 11:30am - 1pm CST. Questions? Con...

09/30/2026

Join FFEN’s Board: Support Local Food Shelves with critical Resources, Training.

Bring your skills to the table and help food shelves work better.

Foundation for Essential Needs (FFEN) is looking for two passionate leaders to join our Board of Directors. If you care deeply about consistent and dignified food access for all and want to leverage your expertise where it matters most, we want to hear from you.

Click the link to learn more and apply: https://ffen.org/blog/join-ffens-board-support-local-food-shelves-with-critical-resources-training/

09/21/2026

Don't forget to join us at 11:30 a.m. Sept. 22 for this month's Sustain & Nourish: Creating a Shopper-Centered Volunteer Program.

Volunteers play an enormous role in shaping how shoppers experience a food shelf. From the way someone is greeted to how policies are explained and choices are offered, volunteer behaviors can either strengthen—or unintentionally create barriers to—a welcoming, dignified experience.

In this session, participants will explore how to build a volunteer culture grounded in mission, dignity, choice, and shoppers' needs. Together, we’ll look at how organizational values translate into everyday volunteer behaviors, how assumptions and biases can affect interactions, and how leaders can help volunteers understand the “why” behind changing practices.

Participants will also discuss practical strategies for navigating resistance, reinforcing expectations, using shopper feedback, and addressing situations in which long-standing volunteer preferences or “the way we’ve always done it” no longer support the experience the organization wants to create.

Register to join us: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/XcmVhUJZShCAWPlHLejg9w #/registration

09/18/2026

Last night we celebrated 15 years of FFEN and all the people who have come together to support food shelves growing stronger, food access expanding, and communities across Minnesota and western Wisconsin working together for lasting change — shoppers welcomed with choice and dignity, and fresh, familiar foods within reach.
Thank you for being part of FFEN's story! 56 Brewing

09/14/2026

T-minus 30 minutes - Join us for a virtual webinar at 1 p.m. to see what's shaping food sourcing in 2026.

Be among the first food shelf leaders to see how sourcing patterns are shifting across a network of more than 230 sites — and what that means for your own strategy heading into the rest of the year.

Register to join us!
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/evszpjcRSmKtk4EnFq_m5w?fbclid=IwY2xjawUVDkpwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMW83MVdURXYzR1EzcmRiNGFzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeg7fo8fnR0yZ8M1OYhYLDV5ly1sBWtbfrOvOGglY3t_ggnpkFMqg3GC9CKkQ_aem_ExlRSmSqs51fuZbhnGHq9Q #/registration

09/10/2026

Live Webinar: See What's Shaping Food Sourcing in 2026

Be among the first food shelf leaders to see how sourcing patterns are shifting across a network of more than 230 sites — and what that means for your own strategy heading into the rest of the year.

Join FFEN for a live look at the newest Strategic Food Sourcing Analysis data, covering January–June 2026.

We'll walk through overall trends and break them down by key program characteristics, so you can see how food shelves like yours compare and where there's room to adjust.

What you'll walk away with:
* The latest sourcing trends from your peer network
* A breakdown by program characteristics so you can benchmark against similar food shelves
* Practical takeaways to shape your sourcing strategy for the second half of 2026

Register to join us for the 1 p.m. Sept. 14 webinar! https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/evszpjcRSmKtk4EnFq_m5w #/registration

09/07/2026

Sanskruti Dhananjay Deshmukh is based in Stony Brook, New York, and joins FFEN as a remote data analysis intern with a clear sense of why this work matters to her.

Her path to community work started at home. Her mother spent 16 years as a social worker in India, providing food, housing, and education to children who had been abandoned or had no shelter. Watching her mother care for others even when the situations were difficult, left an impression.

"That satisfaction at the end of the day, on her face — that's what motivated me," Sanskruti said. "This is something you have to (do) from the heart."

She found FFEN through Handshake, drawn in after learning more about the organization's work. She’s bringing technical skills to her role and will be assisting with data analysis and Strategic Food Sourcing reports.

09/06/2026

FFEN tackles one of food shelves’ biggest challenges with help from a Volunteer Generation Fund grant from ServeMinnesota

Volunteers aren't extras at food shelves — they're often the workforce. So when FFEN launched a cohort on volunteer engagement, we expected interest. We didn't expect 45 leaders to apply for 18 spots.

Read the full story here: https://ffen.org/blog/45-applications-18-spots/

09/04/2026

At PRISM Golden Valley, MN , the shelves tell a story. They hold twice the produce they once did, offering both fresh and frozen, and food choices that reflect the neighborhood's diversity. Behind the change is a shift away from jams and processed goods toward ingredients that make a meal — guided by twice-yearly check-ins with FFEN and honest feedback from shoppers themselves.
Checkout the full story: https://ffen.org/blog/full-shelves-better-choices/

09/03/2026

15 years of FFEN
Stronger Together

Join us in celebrating FFEN’s anniversary! Stop by 56 Brewing for appetizers, a beverage, and a look at how far we’ve come. Then, see how we’re shaping food shelves for today and tomorrow.

15th Anniversary Open House
September 17, 2026
5 - 7 p.m.
56 Brewing, 3055 NE Columbia Ave., Suite 103A, Minneapolis

Drop in anytime to connect, celebrate, and learn more, brief remarks at 6 p.m.
Register here: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/RYykiMeD3iE8iXK5h4PBdA?t=1786132338