BURNETT COUNTY — Local organizations and community leaders have launched the Burnett County Pop-Up Food Distribution Project, a collaborative effort designed to help children, families, seniors, and other residents access nutritious food during the summer months when school-based meal programs and backpack food programs are unavailable.
The project aims to raise $20,000 to support two or more summer pop-up food distribution events in the Grantsburg and Webb Lake areas, while also providing additional protein and high-demand food options through local distribution partners.
The initiative comes as Burnett County continues to face significant food access challenges. According to The National Institute of Health, the County had a 14% food insecurity rate in 2023, ranking seventh highest in Wisconsin, with approximately 540 children experiencing food insecurity. The 2025 Community Health Rankings data places 22.3% of Burnett County children as currently living in poverty. In the past year, grocery prices have also continued to rise steeply, placing additional strain on household budgets.
“Summer creates a unique challenge for many families,” said project organizer, Reneé Nañez. “During the school year, backpack programs and school meals help fill gaps. When school is out, many of those supports disappear at the same time food shelves are experiencing higher demand and limited supplies.”
Burnett County’s 100% rural geography adds another layer of difficulty. With residents spread across more than 821 square miles and limited grocery delivery options available, many families face transportation barriers that make accessing affordable food difficult.
Local food distribution partners report growing demand throughout the county. Organizations, including the Family Resource Center in Siren, Caring Hearts in Webster, the Grantsburg Area Food Shelf, and the Yellow Lake Lutheran Church, have all seen strong community needs, with high-demand items such as meat, dairy, and eggs often disappearing within two hours of distribution.
In addition, the loss of Ruby’s Food Shelf and Distribution events have decreased one of the few available options for Burnett County families who relied on its services.
Funds raised through this project will help purchase food for summer distributions, focusing on family-friendly staples and protein items that are often the most difficult for food shelves to provide. Organizers anticipate holding distributions in late July and late August, with the final number of events determined by fundraising success.
The effort is supported by a partnership with Family Pathways and the St. Croix Valley Food Bank, with Family Pathways serving as the fiscal sponsor for donations. Community organizations, businesses, and individual donors are currently being approached to help fund the project, and early support is already being secured.
The Grantsburg Lions Club, alongside many other individual donors, have already committed support for the initiative, helping build momentum toward the project's $20,000 fundraising goal.
“This is a practical, community-driven response to a challenge that affects children, working families, older adults, and neighbors across Burnett County,” organizer Patti Hurd says. “It provides an opportunity for businesses, churches, civic groups, and individuals to come together around a simple goal: making sure local families have enough to eat.”
How to Donate
Checks should be made payable to Family Pathways and mailed to:
- Family Pathways, 6413 Oak Street, North Branch, MN 55056
Please include “Burnett County Pop-Up Distribution” in the memo line. Donors are encouraged to notify organizers of their contribution at burnettcountysolutions@gmail.com.
Online donations can be made through Family Pathways. Donors should select Food Shelves from the donation menu and enter “Burnett County Pop Up Distributions” in the notes field to ensure funds are directed to the project.
About the Burnett County Pop-Up Food Distribution Project
The Burnett County Pop-Up Food Distribution Project is a collaborative effort led by local volunteers and community partners to address summer food insecurity in Burnett County.
The project seeks to provide immediate food assistance while strengthening local food access for residents facing transportation, financial, and geographic barriers.
All funds raised for this project will be used to purchase food to distribute in Burnett County, whatever the amount given. All donations will be tax-deductible.
Last Update: Jul 09, 2026 8:54 am CDT
