Ruby’s Pantry abruptly ends food distribution in Moorhead

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR-KFGO) – A non-profit food ministry based in Minnesota is ending operations, effective immediately.

Ruby’s Pantry made the announcement on Tuesday saying, “Over the past several months, we have been thoughtfully realigning the work, structure, and focus of Ruby’s Pantry to ensure our mission remains at the center of everything we do. As part of this process, we have worked to better align community needs with our goal of operating in the most effective and seamless way possible. As a result, we have decided to end the operations of Ruby’s Pantry effective immediately.”

Ruby’s Pantry has served rural communities at sponsoring churches in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa for 20 years.

The Moorhead Ruby’s Pantry location was at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd.

“We have so loved doing it, it’s such a privilege to be able to serve people in our community and so we’re sad about it,” said staff liaison Linda Bartholome. “We’re still going to do something, we just don’t know what yet. But we have so many wonderful organizations in Fargo-Moorhead that we want to look at partnering with, and other churches. So we’re looking at more ways of helping our friends in our community.”

Bartholome says before the decision to shut down, Ruby’s Pantry was going to increase the cost of food boxes from $25 to $30 starting April 1, which would have been fine if the quality of the food hadn’t diminished.

“We have noticed over the last year that the quality of the shares has been less than. We’ll get produce that’s rotting or there’s not enough. But the shares have just really really not been as good the last year, year and a half,” explained Bartholome.

She says when they started during COVID in November 2020, Good Shepherd had 360 people lined up to pick up food boxes each month.

At the most recent pop-up distribution event, they had 216 food boxes, and couldn’t distribute all of them.

Bartholome also says higher gas and grocery prices affect organizations like Ruby’s Pantry. The rising gas prices make it more expensive to transport food to the sites, and less grocery stores are donating food.

The Ruby’s Pantry location at Bethel Church in Fargo announced that they were shut down in March.