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The Emergency Foodshelf Network (EFN) is a nonprofit food bank that collects, warehouses and distributes quality food and essential support services to Minnesota hunger relief organizations. There is no membership fee to hunger relief organizations to join the EFN network. EFN gives its network a variety of financial and food benefits and savings and does not make a profit or margin off of any food that it distributes. Member agencies receive monthly shipments of free food, the opportunity to purchase high demand and culturally specific items at below retail prices and liberty to use our office and media equipment at no charge. The network also meets quarterly to discuss hunger relief opportunities and strategies and share ideas about promoting quality, nutrition and the eradication of hunger. EFN was created in 1976 to help foodshelves pool their resources and receive quantities of food equal to their demand. Before EFN was formed, it was not uncommon for one foodshelf to experience an excess of resources while a neighboring shelf turned clients away due to lack of food or money. Today, EFN's network consists of nearly 200 hunger relief programs throughout 35 Minnesota counties. These agencies provide more than 7 million pounds of nonperishable, perishable and prepared food to hunger relief organizations annually. Individual, corporate, county, and foundation gifts provide the main operating income for EFN. For every dollar donated, EFN pours 92 cents directly back into its programs, making it one of the most efficient organizations in the Twin Cities. EFN has experienced extraordinary growth during its 30 years of service to the Minnesota community. From our inception in 1976 when we occupied a classroom-size office & off-site warehouse at the Sabathani Community Center to our current 65,000 square foot warehouse facility in New Hope, EFN has never stopped striving to create cost-effective and inclusive programs for our members and the hunger relief community and the clients ultimately served by them.