People Reaching Out to Other People, or PROP, is a testament to the decency and kindness of the Eden Prairie community. Although it is best known as a food shelf, PROP also provides housing, wraparound support, and employment and mental health services free of charge. PROP currently serves approximately 1,200 local households that are facing a crisis. A great many families will weather a storm and rise above it thanks in no small part to the non-profit’s efforts.
“Our Food Mart looks just like any other small grocery store,” said Jenifer Loon, executive director of PROP. “Whoever they are and wherever they’re from, anyone is welcome to walk through our doors. They browse the shelves freely, loading their cart with the items they would like to bring home based on their family size. Food Mart only stops resembling a conventional grocery once you notice there are no cash registers.
“Staging our food program this way is beneficial for many reasons. It is quicker and easier for our clients to take what they want rather than ask us for it. It prevents waste, because people don’t bring home foods they dislike even when they are free. Most importantly, Food Mart’s familiar atmosphere gives our clients a greater sense of normality. No one should feel like they forfeited their dignity just because they needed help.
“PROP also offers curbside service, where clients can wait in their cars while our volunteers assemble their personalized orders. Another option is curbside express where clients receive a prepackaged box of nonperishables, as well as meat, eggs, dairy and produce. We also provide home delivery to many of our senior clients, as well as those who are mobility challenged.
“PROP’s Food Mart is the culmination of our entire community’s support. We thank our volunteers who so selflessly give their time and hard work in filling shelves and assisting clients, as well as the many grocery stores that donate thousands of pounds of food every month. Our financial donors allow us to purchase much-needed goods from other non-profits such as The Food Group and Second Harvest Heartland. And of course, we’re thankful to everyone who brings us food. PROP began over 50 years ago when the Beckmann family arranged a food drive through their church. It only goes to show how big a difference even one small act of kindness can make.
“Food creates immediate relief, and it frees up our clients’ limited budgets for other necessities. But we understand that people often need greater help regaining their self-sufficiency, which is why we provide financial support as well. If a family lives in Eden Prairie or Chanhassen, they can come to us for assistance paying their rent or mortgage. Many of our clients avoid homelessness once we have negotiated back rent payment plans on their behalf. In addition to housing, our clients may request assistance paying for utilities, prescription medications, child care, and even the training and education they might need to improve their employment opportunities.
“We have our own employment coordinator on staff. She supports our clients who are job searching by helping to ensure they are prepared and have the tools and resources they need. This can include resume preparation, interviewing skills and online application processes. We strive to match job seekers with local employers who value PROP’s mission. And thanks to our partnership with Relate Counseling Center, we have recently welcomed our second therapist. For our uninsured clients who are experiencing challenges or living with mental illness, PROP truly can be life-saving.
“With the current economic challenges, the need for our services is growing. Record inflation, high demand for housing, and the ends of the eviction moratorium and several pandemic-era government assistance programs have left many people hurting. We served 25% more people during the previous year than the one before it. One in three of them were children.
“Our community’s needs would be overwhelming if not for its benevolence. We’re able to give about $1.5 million worth of direct support each year thanks to the people of Eden Prairie and the surrounding south suburbs. I’m grateful to each and every one of them for their investment in fighting hunger, housing instability and poverty.”
Please visit propfood.org to learn how you can help make a difference.
PROP accepts food donations Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9:30am-1pm, as well as Wednesday 3-6pm. The donation area is just through the green door on the west side of their building at 14700 Martin Drive, Eden Prairie.
“I am sorry to say that the need for our services is growing. Record inflation, high demand for housing, and the ends of the eviction moratorium and several pandemic-era government assistance programs have left many people hurting. We served 25% more people during the previous year than the one before it. One in three of them were children.”