The Outreach Program of Brainerd Lakes and the servicemembers of Camp Ripley joined forces earlier today to help provide meals for those in need.

Shawn Hansen, the Executive Director of the Outreach Program, said today that her program has been limited in serving local food banks and shelters due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The group has been able to pack 25,000 meals a week with social distancing restrictions in place, according to Hansen.

Today, Camp Ripley servicemembers helped far surpass that weekly average and have created up to 12 weeks of meals for those in the Brainerd Lakes region.

By — Brad Hamilton