Fundraiser hopes to help feed Pine City students, keep Dragon Food Shelf stocked

Dihanna Fedder, a retired member of the Pine City Public Schools staff after 39 years with the district, recalls a trip to Alexandria inspiring the Dragon Food Shelf project in Pine City.

During a facility tour, a guide opened a door to show the Pine City contingent a food pantry, which caught Fedder off guard.

"I was just shocked to see one inside a school," Fedder said.

On the way back from Alexandria, Fedder recalls thinking "we should do that." She explained that through the end of the school year, a group "planned and schemed" to open the doors of the Dragon Food Shelf in the fall of 2018.

The Dragon Food Shelf, located in the lobby of the main entrance at the Pine City High School, relies entirely on community donations and serves students in a variety of ways.

At the elementary school, students are served via request made by a social worker or student contact staff. At the Vision campus, staff members shop at the Dragon Food Shelf to stock resources at the building for ALC students to visit as needed.

"At the high school, the students are instructed that it's there and that they can self-advocate and go visit during their advisory hour, or during a study hall, or when it's an appropriate time for them to leave," Fedder explained.

The Dragon Food Shelf also offers hygiene products and basics like laundry and dish soap for students to take home. Fedder said a lack of refrigeration causes some limitations, but a focus is on "kid-friendly items" that are easy to make.

Fedder said working out the financial logistics was a key component to starting the project — the food shelf has been funded by community donations since its inception.

"It works, it absolutely works, and it has since 2018," Fedder said. "But right now, we're at a point where we're realizing that the generous donations that we've had, we need to put something in place that's an annual event that can help support that."

The pilot for that annual fundraiser is Fuel The Fire, Feed A Dragon, a donation drive running from Nov. 28 through Dec. 6.

Residents can make cash donations in person at 10 Pine City businesses — the Pine City Area Chamber of Commerce, Frandsen Bank & Trust, WCMP, Sauser's Hardware, Voyageur Bottle Shop, Cabina Coffee, More Than Sprouts, Sarandipity, Pizza Pub, and The Village Bar and Grill — or via Venmo, @SOSPineCity.

Fedder said the goal is to raise $5,000, which would create 1,000 meals for students.

"It's kind of a lofty goal, but I think if we don't set big goals, we don't realize what our community can do," Fedder said. "Pine City is a wonderful community, and we're very generous, especially with our kids."

Amanda Wimmer, a special ed teacher at the Pine City High School, manages the Dragon Food Shelf with her students as part of the special education program.

Wimmer said her students first started operating the food shelf as part of a career readiness class in 2021.

"It's fabulous that our special ed students are using it also as a learning process," Wimmer said. "They're doing inventory on our products, they're learning how to order items, stock items, they're checking dates for expiration. It gives them a sense of pride in taking care of that."

Wimmer explained that before SNAP benefits were halted during the federal government shutdown in early November, the Dragon Food Shelf was used 13 times a week on average.

"Since then, it's doubled, if not more, on the usage," Wimmer said. "We've definitely seen a significant need."

Fedder said she spoke with Wimmer on the second day after guidance about SNAP benefit uncertainty went out; four new students had already utilized the Dragon Food Shelf's resources.

"It's been my philosophy, and the philosophy of those who helped get this off the ground, that it's hard to learn when your stomach is yelling at you that it's hungry," Fedder said. "Some of those basic needs just have to be met before learning can happen."

Wimmer estimated that the Dragon Food Shelf averages between $400 and $500 a month in output. While the food shelf tracks how much goes out, accessing the resources is a confidential process for students.

"We find an uptick on usage when it comes to if we have longer weekends," Wimmer added.

Wimmer said the food shelf also provides a shelf of simple recipes using available items, to help students build their skills and confidence in the kitchen.

"We truly appreciate the donations," Wimmer said. "The people that have reached out and have already sent donations to us, just know that they're being utilized, and the kids are very appreciative of it."