12,323 Food Items Collected by State Agencies for People in Need This Thanksgiving

For the fifth year in a row, the North Dakota State Auditor’s Office challenged state agencies to a food collection benefitting the Bismarck Emergency Food Pantry and Ministry on the Margins this Thanksgiving. The 15 state agencies that participated were:

• Attorney General’s Office
• Auditor’s Office
• Department of Labor and Human Rights
• Department of Transportation
• Ethics Commission
• Governor’s Office
• Historical Society
• Indian Affairs Commission
• Insurance Department
• Office of Management and Budget
• Public Service Commission
• Secretary of State
• State Library
• State Tax Commissioner
• State Treasurer

The total food collected by each agency was divided by the number of people on their team to determine the winner of the challenge. The Department of Labor and Human Rights, with 11 team members, won the traveling first-place trophy by collecting 520 items.

“State employees consistently show what it means to serve their communities,” said State Auditor Josh Gallion. “Their dedication to supporting local food pantries is inspiring.”