Bemidji bank hosts brat lunch fundraiser for United Way

National Bank of Commerce served brat lunches at both of its Bemidji locations Thursday, turning a simple midday meal into a one-day fundraiser for the United Way of Bemidji Area. The event ran from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 214 5th St. NW downtown and at 1260 Paul Bunyan Dr., with a suggested donation of $10 for a brat, chips, dessert and a beverage.

Customers could eat on site, take the food to go or use a drive-thru option, a setup that fit the pace of a lunch hour in Bemidji and made the fundraiser easier to reach for workers and families on the move. That convenience matters in a city where small events often carry more of the charitable load than large galas or formal campaigns.

The United Way of Bemidji Area says its work centers on Healthy Community, Youth Opportunity, Financial Security and Community Resiliency, and it says 100% of funds stay local. One of the clearest examples is Backpack Buddies, a food program aimed at children facing food insecurity, with weekend and school-break meals designed to fill gaps when school meals are not available.

The organization’s public profile also shows the scale behind that mission. It lists the United Way of Bemidji Area as established in 1987. ProPublica’s nonprofit database shows the group reported $1.33 million in revenue in 2024, along with $1.17 million in expenses, $2.19 million in assets and $1.24 million in liabilities. The charity also says its annual audit is available for public review.

The brat picnic has become a familiar local fundraiser for the bank and the United Way. Lakeland PBS previously reported that about 400 people attended the same event at both Bemidji locations, with National Bank of Commerce President Eric Albrecht grilling at the downtown site. That kind of turnout shows why a $10 lunch can still matter in Beltrami County: a modest donation, multiplied across a steady crowd, helps keep local food assistance and other safety-net programs running.