(2019) Nearly ten years ago, 360 Communities approached our church council to be a partner food shelf site because of our congregation’s generous food and cash donations. We became one of now five Dakota County food shelves, providing immediate aid and resources to individuals and families to bridge them through difficult times and help them reach self-sufficiency. Each month, we have nearly fifty regular volunteers committed to operating our food shelf. This includes purchasing food; picking up donated food from partner organizations like Cub Foods, Fresh Thyme, and Kwik Trip; stocking shelves, and working directly with clients. Throughout 2018, SOTV’s Food Shelf served 5,491 individuals (1,282 families) with 165,355 pounds of food.
In August of 2017, SOTV’s Food Shelf was the second in the state to be certified as a “Super Shelf.” This means we give clients the opportunity to shop for additional healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products. With 67% of our clients suffering from diabetes or heart issues, our clients appreciate the abundance of healthy choices that are more expensive at stores, and the friendly interaction with the volunteers listening to and understanding their needs.
SOTV is blessed to have a very supportive congregation that provides food, cash donations, and committed volunteers to serve people in need within our local communities. Our generosity makes a difference!
To learn more about SOTV’s food shelf, click here. To find out what items are needed this month, click here. To donate monetarily, click here.
