Two years ago, Donna and Orvis Lunke asked us to meet the Food Shelf Challenge by buying an extra can of peaches when we went to the grocery store. In 2026, that simple request has become a vital lifeline as the North Shore economy leaves more of our neighbors behind. Inspired by her friend Jody Hepola’s work for the Two Harbors Food Shelf program at the end of 2023, Donna Lunke and her husband, Orvis, organized a 52-week Food Shelf Challenge in 2024 to benefit the Grand Marais and Grand Portage food shelves. That Challenge has become a lasting reminder that our community stays strong when we support each other.
Moving from a “new experiment” to a “proven model” is a 365-day-a-year battle against hunger.
Every week, Donna publishes a flyer on the community-oriented social media pages that identifies the product needed that week, encouraging ongoing community participation and awareness.
“This is a simple way to help address food insecurity in our area,” Donna said. “Everybody can participate,” she added.
The Lunkes placed bins for food shelf donations at Johnson’s Foods, Gene’s Foods, and the Cook County Co-op in Grand Marais to accept donations. Donna posts a new challenge request online each week and flyers on the bins. Shoppers can buy one or more of the requested items that week and drop them in the bin by the door as they leave.
The goal is for as many community members as possible to donate one or more of the items requested each week throughout the year. The only caveat is that the Challenge cannot accept outdated items and sustain its impact.
Donna reports that as the Challenge enters its third year, the outcome has been “fantastic.” She added, “People are so supportive, and were especially so during the SNAP shutdown last year.”
The second year of the Challenge, 2025, saw Donna and Orvis receiving 3,849 standard items and 1,162 so-called “Extra Items.” Extras can include everything from paper products, cleaning supplies, and cooking oils. Donna and Orvis make a weekly trip through town to empty the bins and bring the donations to the Cook County Food Shelf, where they also stock the shelves.
This year, the Cook County Food Shelf in Grand Marais has undergone a massive renovation to officially transition to the SuperShelf model. The SuperShelf model looks and feels more like a grocery store. Instead of getting a pre-filled box at the door, clients now push carts through aisles organized by food category. The move was fueled by surveys showing that guests wanted more control over their food and a less stigmatized experience. The new model prioritizes access to fresh produce, dairy, and meats—the very items that have seen the highest price spikes for residents.
“People need to know it’s not just families using the Food Shelf,” Donna said. “Many elderly people are using it as well, and they often need smaller sizes of the staples.”
The food shelf is at the First Congregational Church, 300 W. 2nd St. in Grand Marais. Its hours are 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM on Mondays, and 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM on the first Wednesday of every month.
The Lunke’s Challenge project remains critical because it targets the shortfalls. While the food shelf gets bulk shipments of pasta, they often run out of specific “completer” items like cooking oil, crackers, or canned fruit. The “Challenge” items aren’t just random—they are the particular ingredients that turn a box of pasta into a nutritious family meal.
