Community Table, a soup kitchen that was created to help feed those in need, has been serving Bemidji for nearly 30 years. They have had to abide by COVID-19 protocols since the beginning of the pandemic, which has meant major changes in the kinds of meals they are able to serve. They now are packing meal bags instead of serving hot meals.

As volunteers began packing up the meals, they were finding they typically had a couple of extras at the end of the night. To make sure they were not wasting food, they decided to team up with the Bemidji Police Department to distribute the extra meals.

Community Table only serves food Monday through Thursday, so by partnering with law enforcement, they are able to hand out extra meals even on days when they are not serving.

Community Table serves on average around 100 meals each night.

By — Betsy Melin