ENDING HUNGER
OUR PROGRAMS
Since inception in 2012, Project Joy developed a backpack program, partnered with the Duluth Police School Resource Officers, Kid’s Kitchen at Damiano, CHUM, St Louis County Sheriff’s Dept., The Salvation Army, the Duluth Community Schools Collaboration, and the YMCA to provide food to children in need through monetary donations. Project Joy also works with a multitude of individual schools to set up healthy snack pantries.
In addition to continuing to work with these groups, Project Joy in it its third year of collaborating with Union Gospel Mission and United Way of Carlton County on a much bigger endeavor to provide weekend bags of food during the summer months. Children often have support during the week with various summer programs, but weekends often can be without resources for kids in need.
Project Joy distributed 8,035 food bags during the summer of 2025.
Distribution is expected to increase significantly in 2026.
2025 Project Joy Food Bag Program
From June through August, volunteers gather in two locations to pack the bags. The First United Methodist Church in Duluth and the Armory in Cloquet generously donate their space. The bags typically contain 15 items that are shelf stable and easy for a child to open and prepare for themselves in the absence of an adult in the home. The items have been “kid tested” by staff of Union Gospel on their own children and been given a thumbs up.
Once bags are packed, they are distributed to a myriad of locations, ranging as far south as Moose Lake and north to Two Harbors. This year Superior, Wisconsin has been added as an additional partner distribution point.
Over 8,000 bags were distributed
During the summer of 2025, Project Joy distributed over 8,000 food bags.