The Making of a Super Shelf

For more than four decades, providing food at no cost to community members has been a critical service of Interfaith Outreach.

To serve our clients’ evolving needs, our food shelf became a SuperShelf in fall 2021. The SuperShelf model is the product of a collaborative effort with the University of Minnesota to focus on creating a welcoming environment for the community to access healthy foods at local food shelves. Watch our video below or read on to learn more about the transformation.

The Planning Process

During the multi-year planning, Interfaith invited all current clients to co-create the new SuperShelf. A group of nine clients was selected to be on the SuperShelf Advisory Group considering the various ages, household sizes, and ethnicities of the participants. This diverse perspective was a key part of the transformation process.

Other client requests were at the forefront of SuperShelf planning as well. This collective feedback resulted in:  

• New shelves, wall art and lighting to create a brighter, more welcoming feel  
• Increased variety and quantity of healthy and culturally-specific foods, such as fresh produce and Halal meats 
• At-home delivery options for clients who are unable to visit the food shelf, with a focus on serving senior citizens and persons with disabilities 

“I firmly believe that the more voices are represented in something like this, the more people that can feel included and the better the outcome,” Alison shared. “So being invited was an honor and the work was heavy, but all these people…sitting together, coming up with a unique solution for our community was really empowering.” 

YOUR SUPPORT

“I definitely want the community to know that we really rely on their support to fill our shelves,” Felker emphasizes. 

Because Interfaith has partnerships that allow us to buy source food 3 times cheaper than grocery stores, a monetary donation is one of the most impactful ways to support the SuperShelf. Your contribution not only provides nutritious, culturally-appropriate food shelf items, it enables us to provide a range of employment and family support services that set people on the path to new and hopeful futures.  

However, whether you choose to donate funds, volunteer time or food/household items, we are always grateful for your support.