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by Rhubarbara Stalk So, you want to grow rhubarb as big as this huh? Well it takes a bit more than your average gardener to grow a leaf bigger than this. As the sun starts shining brighter and the birds start chirping louder, it's time to get our gardens groovin' for the springtime fiesta! And what better way to kick off the party than with the vibrant and tangy taste of rhubarb? This versatile ingredient is like the life of the garden party, adding a pop of flavor to everything from pies to sauces. So, let's dive into the essential steps for getting your rhubarb ready to rock the season ahead! 1. Dividing the Root: To get your rhubarb revved up for the season, it's time for a little root remix. Grab your gardening tools and dig up that old root, being sure to channel your inner rhubarb rockstar as you do. Once you've unearthed it, give it a good split into pieces with at least one bud in each. It's like giving your plant a backstage pass to the springtime show! 2. Replanting: Now that your rhubarb is ready to rock, it's time to find it a prime spot in the garden. Choose a sunny location with soil that's as rich as a rockstar's backstage rider. Plant your rhubarb divisions, cover them up with a little soil blanket, and get ready to watch them grow and shine like the rockstars they are! 3. Soil Serenade: Give your rhubarb the VIP treatment by serenading it with some soulful soil preparation. Mix in some compost like it's confetti at a concert, creating a fertile playground for your rhubarb to strut its stuff. Trust us, your rhubarb will thank you with a symphony of deliciousness! 4. Mulching and Watering: Keep the party going by mulching your rhubarb with a cozy blanket of straw. It's like giving your plants a little rest after their rockin' performance. And don't forget to water them when they're thirsty – even rockstars need a drink now and then! 5. Maintenance Mayhem: To keep your rhubarb rocking all season long, give it a little maintenance TLC. Add some composted manure for a nutrient boost and show those pesky seed stalks the door before they crash the party. With a little love and care, your rhubarb will be ready to steal the show all season long! So there you have it, folks – the ultimate guide to getting your rhubarb ready to rock the springtime scene! Get ready to groove to the rhythm of rhubarb and enjoy a season filled with deliciousness and garden party vibes. Thanks y'all. If you are planning to come out to the Rhubarb Festival on June 29th to see ME mark those calendars and pray for sunshine!

March brought new beginnings to our community as we welcomed a new tenant to our midst. At our residential complex, we cherish the opportunity to welcome individuals into their new homes and assist them in settling comfortably into their units. As part of our ongoing efforts to ensure every resident feels at home, we are actively working on fixing up rooms with the help of our dedicated maintenance team. If you have any full- or queen-sized mattresses, nightstands, dressers, small tables, or comfortable chairs in good condition that you're looking to donate, we would be incredibly grateful. Your contributions help us create warm and inviting spaces for our new tenants. Moreover, we invite you to join us in setting up rooms and preparing them for rental. Whether you're an individual looking to lend a helping hand or a congregational group seeking a community involvement opportunity, your assistance in staging furniture and making our spaces inviting is invaluable. It's not just about furnishing rooms; it's about creating a sense of belonging for those who call our community home. With the arrival of spring, we're gearing up to beautify our surroundings by planting flowers in our gardens. If you're passionate about gardening and would like to contribute by donating flowers, we would love to hear from you. Your generosity will help us add vibrant colors and fragrances to our shared spaces, enhancing the beauty of our community. In addition to providing comfortable living spaces, we strive to foster connections and create memorable experiences for our residents. One such event is our monthly bingo night, hosted by a dedicated staff member. This event has become a favorite among tenants, offering them an opportunity to socialize, have fun, and win exciting prizes. To ensure the success of these gatherings, we welcome donations of gift cards, which enable us to purchase prizes from the Dollar Store. Your contributions help make our bingo nights even more enjoyable for everyone involved. For any inquiries or to express your interest in contributing to our community initiatives, please don't hesitate to contact us at 218-491-7811 ext. 102. Your support and involvement are deeply appreciated as we continue to create a welcoming and vibrant community for all.

by Food Shelf Director, Scott Van Daele March is almost here and, the Minnesota March FoodShare Campaign will begin on February 26th and will continue until April 6th.  I want to thank you for your past support.  Because of the efforts of groups like yours, the 2023 campaign raised $91,630 and 69,188 pounds. Our goal for this year is to raise $100,000 and 50,000 pounds of food to stock our shelves, and we can achieve that success in this campaign with your help. During 2023, the Food Shelf distributed 533,152 pounds of food to 15,781 people in Duluth. Our Food Shelf was a major source of each visiting family’s nutrition throughout the year. Together we are fulfilling our call to feed the hungry. So what do we need?? More money, or more food?? We need both! But the Food Shelf can do much more with money.  As a member of Second Harvest Food Bank, our money goes much farther than it would shopping at Super One or Cub Foods. For every $1 that gets donated, we can buy $3 worth of food—that’s three times more!!! We hope you will all get creative, have fun, and help us raise funds and food! We can’t do this alone! Please let us know if you are on board to help.  Resources for awareness material like posters, hunger fact sheets and other informational forms can be found at http://www.mnfoodshare.org/resources/  If you have questions or want to more information, I am always available to help at 218.727.2391. THE TIME TO DONATE IS NOW, BUT LET’S GET TO THE DETAILS ON FOOD DONATIONS! So, you’re ready to donate food to the Food Shelf. That’s great! Whether you’re starting a food drive or just planning to grab a few extra items for donation while out grocery shopping, there are a couple of things you should know about what you can (and should) donate and what Chum won’t accept. What food you CAN donate to Chum: This part is pretty easy. Chum accepts dry and canned food donations. What does that mean? Basically, any food that is “shelf-stable” or nonperishable – you can keep it in your pantry and it won’t go bad. And remember, only donate food that hasn’t reached its “sell-by” date yet. Specifically, Chum often need items like: Peanut butter (Small Jars-16oz) Canned soup (Non Cream) Canned fruit Canned vegetables Canned stew and Canned Pasta Canned fish Canned beans Pasta Rice Cereal That’s not an exhaustive list, but it covers much of what Chum regularly needs. Additionally, Chum accepts NEW personal care and household items since many families struggle to afford them and aren’t covered by other food assistance programs like SNAP. Look in your pantry if you’re still stumped about what to donate. Families struggling with hunger often can’t afford the staples that we normally have stocked at home. So, check your pantry out and go from there. Even specialty foods like olive oil, dressings, or marinades can be helpful if they don’t need to be refrigerated. What not to donate to Chum: The number one rule to remember is this: if your donation is perishable, i.e., it’s something with a limited shelf life if not refrigerated, Chum can’t accept it. But there are other categories of food that you can’t donate. We've broken it all down into this handy list: Items needing refrigeration: As we've already mentioned, this is the big one. Food like produce, dairy, and meat can spoil easily and we often times do not have the refrigerator or freezer space needed to keep these items fresh. While an individual can’t donate a bunch of bananas or a frozen turkey, Chum works directly with farmers, retailers, restaurants, and other companies to source these perishable foods for donation. Expired food: When considering what to donate, think about what you’d be comfortable serving your family. Chances are, you don’t eat food that’s past its “use-by” or “sell-by” date, so avoid donating anything past those dates as it could be unsafe to eat. Leftovers: While it may be tempting to want to share the bountiful food from big meals like Thanksgiving, it’s best to keep leftovers for the family. To ensure the people they serve are safe, Chum can’t accept leftovers or anything made in personal kitchens because they aren’t individually sealed and Chum can’t verify the ingredients or preparation process. Food with packaging concerns: This includes food with damaged packaging such as dented or bloated cans, packaging that is already open, or even items in glass containers, which can shatter and cause food safety concerns for any other food they’re stored near. A good rule of thumb is if you wouldn't consider buying it new, don't donate it. Baked goods: Similar to leftovers, since Chum can’t confirm how your baked goods were made or their ingredients, they can’t be donated. But, Chum has relationships with local restaurants and bakeries which will donate extra food that is properly labeled and handled to Chum.

Super Rhubarb Festival 2024 See you Saturday, June 29!! More Pie, More Food, and More Fun! Sign Up To Volunteer Exclusive Presenting Sponsor: What's Going to Make This Rhubarb Festival Super? Great question! We are making this the Super Rhubarb Festival commemorating Chum's 50th Anniversary. Now that we are at the end of our 50th anniversary year celebration, we wanted to throw the community an extra big party to say thank you for all of your support. It has been an incredible year, from the largest fall dinner we have ever had to all the different clothing and food drives YOU started. ​ The year's SUPER Rhubarb Festival will be bigger and better than ever. We are making more pie, more food, and even more games for everyone to enjoy. Rhubarbara is even challenging some of the local mascots to a foot race! ​ This will be one of the most memorable Rhubarb Festivals, so mark your calendar and join us on Saturday, June 29! Volunteers, Volunteering, Volunteer Seriously, it takes hundreds of volunteers to make this event happen! If you love Rhubarb Festival and have never volunteered, how about making this year your first? We would love to have you and show you the ropes (stalks?)! There is something for everyone, click the button and take a look! Volunteer Sign Up Gold Sponsors: Silver Sponsors: Bronze Sponsors: Rhubarb Partners: Dougherty Funeral Home Contract Tile & Carpet LLC In-Kind Donors: And: YOU! If your business, or the one you work for, is interested in being a sponsor at the SUPER Rhubarb Festival, click the button below for more information! Sponsorship Info Please Consider Supporting Chum There are many ways to support us! A gift of money can help us support all of our programs. A gift of time, through volunteering, can help us complete crucial projects. And donations of warmth, clothing, and shelter help keep folks living outside of shelter alive. Give Now Volunteer Form Chum Wishlist

Congregational Outreach, Organizing, and Advocacy Many years ago Chum was formed in response to the economic problems our community faced. Congregations came together to serve folks in our community and meet their needs. Now we are made up of 40 member congregations serving the citizens of Duluth! Community Organizing In Duluth, over 5,000 residents attend one of Chum's forty member congregations. They are a powerful force in advocating for public policies that are responsive to the needs and interests of the lowest-income members of our community, a population often dependent upon Chum programs to meet their basic needs. ​ Our policy priorities at the State level are focused on changing the response to homelessness in Duluth. As one of the nine organizations collaborating in Stepping On Up , Chum aims to move people from being unsheltered to living in Shelter-Next facilities, providing access to stabilization services, and allowing barriers to be addressed; and then into ultra-affordable housing where they can build community that can make stability, employment, and self-sufficiency possible. Working with our statewide partners (Homes for All , Joint Religious Legislative Coalition , Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless ), we advocate for policies and funding that provide for sufficient emergency shelter, the construction and preservation of affordable housing, increased resources for supported housing, and services for people experiencing homelessness. Chum’s policy priorities include speaking to and dismantling structures of domination and racism in Duluth. To view our current policy priorities and learn how you can get involved, please visit our Advocacy Page . ​ We are contracted with Arrowhead Regional Corrections and the St. Louis County Jail to provide chaplaincy services at the jail, Northeast Regional Corrections Center, and Arrowhead Juvenile Center. Culturally appropriate spiritual support, study, worship, one-to-one counsel, and restorative justice circles offer hope and provide life skills to residents seeking a brighter future. Through Chum’s partnership with Stepping On Up, we seek to offer housing within a supportive community upon re-entry for those without the opportunity to return to a stable home. ​ John Cole publicly introduced Stepping On Up: A Call to Chum at our Fall 2021 Assembly. This is our 5-year plan to make a person’s stay at the shelter what it should be – short, temporary, and non-reoccurring. It can only become that if we have transitional housing with support services, and permanently affordable housing units available for all. We will be engaged in advocacy at the state and local level as needed as we work to implement Stepping On Up. Congregational Outreach Our member congregations are core to who we are as an organization. Congregations in Duluth are what began Chum, and now we are made up of 40 fantastic congregations! ​ We Give Opportunities For Them To: Give expression to their faith through activities that respond to the needs of the poor and disenfranchised. Strengthen the community by building strong relationships. Bring about systemic changes that benefit the marginalized and dispossessed. ​ ​ Please Consider Supporting Chum There are many ways to support us! A gift of money can help us support all of our programs. A gift of time, through volunteering, can help us complete crucial projects. And donations of warmth, clothing, and shelter help keep folks living outside of shelter alive. Give Now Volunteer Form Chum Wishlist

people of faith working together to provide basic necessities, foster stable lives, and organize for a just and compassionate community Save The Date: Saturday, June 29 It's time to mark your calendars! The SUPER Rhubarb Festival is coming June 29th. We have lots of big things planned and need your help to pull it off! More Info: Donate On PayPal Make a Difference in Duluth There are many opportunities to give online and make a difference for people experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, and poverty in Duluth, MN. Click the button to learn more! Giving What is Chum? we are people of faith working together to provide basic necessities, foster stable lives, and organize for a just and compassionate community. Read More About Us. Chum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose programs serve more than 8,000 low-income, homeless, hungry, isolated, or otherwise marginalized community members each year in Duluth, MN. Chum was founded in 1973 when 10 churches in Duluth’s Central Hillside neighborhood pooled their resources to meet the needs of the neighborhood’s many low-income residents more effectively. ​ We are striving to be a nonprofit in Duluth, MN, that can super-serve its clients and end poverty in this amazing, beautiful, and loving community. Hit the button below to learn more about who we are and where we started. Learn More Want to Make a Difference? As the largest safety net for those experiencing homelessness in Duluth, MN, we stay pretty busy. If you want to help us accomplish our mission, and stay connected with everything happening, sign up for our newsletter! Full Name Email Submit Thanks for Joining The Team! We are Hiring! We are looking to fill multiple positions at Chum right now. Now is your chance to start a job in Duluth, MN that makes a real difference in the community. Apply Now Chum is proud to Support: Duluth’s shortage of housing causes long-term and chronic homelessness. Waitlists stretch from months (in rare cases) to more than 2 years for subsidized housing. In addition, people experiencing long term homelessness and especially chronic homelessness are rarely able to transition smoothly from the streets or shelter into permanent, independent housing. What is needed are low-cost units that are private, dignified, small scale to encourage community, culturally specific, harm reduction based and providing services including basic life skills like cleaning and cooking. ​ Learn more by visiting their website: steppingonupduluth.org Please Consider Supporting Chum There are many ways to support us! A gift of money can help us support all of our service programs in Duluth, MN. A gift of time, through volunteering in Duluth, MN, can help us complete crucial projects. And donations of warmth, clothing, and shelter help keep folks living outside of shelter alive. Give Now Volunteer Form Chum Wishlist