Lofton Label supports social service agency serving Northern Dakota County

Employees of the Inver Grove Heights-based converter have also held a food drive and donated another 100lbs of food to Neighbors, in what has become an on-going effort to do food drives for the agency.

Michael Lane, chief executive officer of Lofton Label, said: 'Lofton Label began supporting Neighbors in 2012, when we organized our first employee food drive and cash donation to the agency.

'We’re proud to continue our relationship with Neighbors and hope this most recent donation and the volunteer efforts of our employees will make life a little easier for many families this summer.'

Over the summer vacation many parents and carers across the state will struggle to provide regular meals for children who receive subsidized breakfast and lunch at school during the school year. According to Hunger Solutions Minnesota, in the months of June, July and August 2011, there were more than 327,000 child visits to Minnesota food shelves.

According to Lane, one half of the cash donation comes from Lofton’s financial partner, Bell State Bank & Trust. Earlier this year, the bank gave each of its employees the opportunity to select a customer, vendor or community member to receive US$1,000 to pay it forward to the charity of their choice. Lofton chose Neighbors and matched the original donation to create a total cash donation of US$2,000.

‘Neighbors is extremely grateful for the support of Lofton Label,' said Rick Birmingham, director of development for Neighbors. ‘Demand for the food shelf is at an all-time high and summer is a difficult time, particularly for families with children who are out of school over the summer and don’t have access to free or low-cost lunches from school.’