Our Mission, Goals and Vision

Relief Shop: Each season (usually April to October) we do our best to bring FREE essential needs & hygiene shopping to vulnerable people and groups in our tri-city meotrpolitan area.  Our Relief Shops Offer guests:

*Resources BY HOUSEHOLD SIZE NOT INCOME.

*Flexible points, weighing and limit systems to ensure a consistent experience each time people shop.

*Participation in surverys, interview opportunities and volunteerism for guests who want to be more involved.

*Self-paced financial literacy in a real-to-life setting at the human level.

*Community-based locations that coincide with day-to-day life of guests.

2021 

• We received a $1k grant through The (Cass Clay) Awesome Foundation to host community resource & engagement events to help resource insecure households in Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo, Minnekota.
• LCUF partnered with Chisom Housing Group and management at The Arbors at McCormick Park to provide direct on-site essential needs shopping services to low-income, new American and refugee households. 

2022

• Our Executive Team collaborated with DOJ, FBI and local law enforcement agencies to align our community engagements events with the federal Project Safe Neighborhoods Initative
• Our Hot Meal Fridays--take and go meals for school-age youth &their families to have for the weekend--served over 2.6K meals to ND & MN households over a 7-month period.
• Over 30 organizations & businesses participated in our first annual Community Partner Day; over 300 guests attended and got connected with daycare, mental health, immunizations, literacy and cultural resources.

2023

• In 2023 Planned Parenthood was our biggest sponsor for Community Partner Day; over 40 organizations participated and over 400 guests attended.
• In January LCUF won the MLK Service Award under category Sow A Seed for our work in bringing a new and needed resource to the area.

2024

• Our Executive Director spoke at  the City of Fargo Human Rights Commission to help  income-based housing tenants advocate for better & safer conditions in their community. 
• We formed local partnerships with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Addie's Spread Your Sunshine, Roots Hair & Soul, Church of God's Word and Urban Selection to expand our locations and provide community engagement events this MAY & JULY.
• Our Executive Director made international negotations with Canadian partners, Earth Breeze & Kits For A Cause Bargains Group, to have access in-kind and discounted hygiene items that will be available for the community THIS SUMMER.
• Our nonprofit was the March grant recipient of The (Cass Clay) Awesome Foundation; with this $1K we are able to establish 2 community-based shop locations in South Fargo and West Fargo.
• We have 60+ households pre-registered for our Relief Shop and are continuing to enroll new families every week!