Food Pantry in Bricelyn Fills Need With City’s Help

By Heather Rule

Before launching the Bricelyn Food Pantry, organizers spoke with people in the community about their past experiences at food shelves. Many recalled feeling shame, judgment, and an overall lack of compassion.

Bricelyn’s pantry was determined to take a different approach.

“First of all, we’re trying to eliminate stigmas when it comes to food insecurity,” said Tiffany Isaac-Ruiz, chair and executive director of the Bricelyn Food Pantry. “They’re happy to tell us what they like compared to their past experiences at other places.”

So far, so good for the Bricelyn Food Pantry, which has received positive feedback since opening in June 2024.

A convenient, welcoming space

Barbara Carlson is vice chair and co-founder of the pantry. She’s also heard pantry clients comment about the friendly and welcoming nature of the volunteers, along with the accessible location right in the city.

“Several of them have expressed it’s handy to get to,” Carlson said. “It’s pretty much accessible to everybody.

“They’ve really been appreciative of the choices that they have,” she added.

Located at 311 N. Main St. in Bricelyn, the pantry is open Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., allowing clients to shop for needed items twice a month. It partners with Channel One Regional Food Bank in Rochester to supply food, and eligibility is determined through the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) annual form. However, no one is turned away.

It’s a way to help friends and neighbors, Carlson said.

“A lot of people don’t go out with the maximums,” she added. “They just take what they need and know they’ll use until the next time.”

How the pantry got started

Isaac-Ruiz noticed the need for a food pantry in Bricelyn (population 340) when she moved to the area in fall 2023. She first spoke with a local pastor about creating a blessing box, like a little free library but for food, and presented the idea to the Bricelyn City Council in early 2024.

However, an outdoor food shelf wasn’t practical. Instead, a city employee suggested using some vacant office space in a city-owned building. The City Council was on board and the pantry took shape.

“They recognized there was a need,” Isaac-Ruiz said. “They said that could be a possibility, let’s talk more.”

From there, they connected with Channel One and got the ball rolling to work together as a partner agency. Clients of the Bricelyn Food Pantry venture from all over, from Albert Lea and even Mankato. Some drive 20 to 30 miles to visit the pantry.

Support from the city and community

The city was supportive and very open to the pantry using part of the city building — which includes the city office, community center, and small community library — to house the food shelf. The space was once a medical clinic but had been vacant for decades.

“They (the city) just willingly offered that space rent-free,” Isaac-Ruiz said.

Carlson agreed that the city has been receptive to their ideas for the pantry. She recalled Mayor John Goette stopping by one day: “And he just said, ‘We are so excited that this is here. The space is being well-utilized and kept up,’” Carlson said. She added that the community has also been very generous with donations.

Isaac-Ruiz said they’re also grateful for their area sponsors and other funding that comes from state grants, which are essential to their operations.

The pantry provides monthly updates to the City Council, and statistics show a steady increase in visitors, many of whom are working families. From June through December 2024, the pantry recorded 478 household visits and distributed 19,224 pounds of food. In January 2025, there were 114 household visits, and 4,217 pounds of food distributed.

“They’re very, very supportive,” Isaac-Ruiz said of the City Council. “They like hearing the statistics and the fact that it’s not just people in Bricelyn — it’s people from all over who are coming here and receiving the help that they need.

“I think that helps everybody feel really good about their decision. They’ve been great.”

A model for other communities

For communities that might be looking to start a food pantry, partnerships between a nonprofit and the city can be a key factor in success, Isaac-Ruiz said.

In Bricelyn, if the City Council hadn’t stepped in with the suggestion to use city-owned space, there wasn’t another available building to house the pantry.

“So truly, we would not exist as the food pantry that we are without the City Council of Bricelyn allowing us to be in that building,” Isaac-Ruiz said. “So, they’re hugely instrumental in all of this.”

Heather Rule is a freelance writer.