The White Bear Area Food Shelf is deeply saddened by the passing of Mary Bosscher, one of the founders whose vision, leadership, and compassion helped create what would become a vital community resource for generations of neighbors.
As the story goes, Mary had just begun serving as the social ministry pastor at St. Pius X Church in White Bear Lake when she gathered a group of women together and posed a simple but profound question: “What would you do if you could change the world?”
One by one, the women shared their dreams. When the question reached Mim Kolling, she took a breath and boldly replied, “I would start a food shelf in White Bear Lake.” And that is exactly what happened.
In 1977, representing St. Pius X Church, Mary Bosscher, and Lorraine (Mim) Kolling founded the Food Shelf with just $850 in Ramsey County funding and a determination to help neighbors facing hunger. In its earliest days, the food shelf operated out of area churches, providing emergency food assistance to local families during difficult times.
As the need for food assistance grew, so did the organization. In 1984, the White Bear Lake Emergency Food Shelf was officially incorporated as its own nonprofit organization, establishing an independent future while maintaining the spirit and mission that had inspired its founding. Mary helped lay the foundation for that transition and for the decades of service that would follow.
What began as a small grassroots effort grew into an organization that has served countless individuals and families throughout the White Bear area for nearly 50 years.
Mary’s influence was felt not only in the food shelf’s founding, but throughout its history. She helped shape an organization built on the belief that every person deserves dignity, compassion, and access to nutritious food. Even after stepping away from day-to-day leadership, she remained a faithful supporter of the food shelf and its mission throughout her life, taking pride in its growth and the impact it continued to have on neighbors in need.
As we remember Mary, we are grateful for her leadership, her faith in community, and her lifelong commitment to serving others. Her influence can still be felt in every meal provided, every act of kindness shared, and every family that finds support through the White Bear Area Food Shelf.
Sometimes changing the world begins with a simple question. Thanks to Mary Bosscher, and the vision she helped nurture, our community has been answering that question for nearly five decades.
