About the Nonprofit
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Bountiful Basket Food Shelf is a fast-growing Minnesota nonprofit offering reliable access to
healthy, appealing, and culturally appropriate food at public sites, at schools and homes, and in partnership with other organizations. Strong partnerships, flexible services, and the
preservation of dignity define our approach to services as we continue to grow and meet
increased need. We are far from a standalone food shelf, having expanded to meet food insecure households where they are through food delivery, school snack programs, and more.
We are proud to have been recently certified as a SuperShelf, a model for food shelves to
become welcoming, visually appealing spaces that increase access to a variety of healthy,
culturally appropriate food, while making healthy options easy and respecting individual choice.
Bountiful Basket food services are free, open to all, and benefit low-income and food insecure individuals the most. We serve families, seniors, students, and everyone in between, with visitors from Carver and Scott Counties as well as elsewhere in the metro area.
Our mission is to nourish neighbors, inspire hope, and support families on their road to self-sufficiency.
Food insecurity is on the rise in the communities we reach, and we saw a 95% increase in visits to our food shelves in FY2023 over FY2022. Our food services are open to all and benefit low-income and food insecure individuals the most.
There are significant racial disparities in food security in both Carver and Scott County. In Carver County, while only 2% of White, non-Hispanic individuals experience food insecurity, rates are higher among Hispanic people (16%) and highest among Black individuals (26%), per Feeding America most recent survey (2021). In addition, Carver County has a high rate of food insecure individuals (42%) who do not qualify for federal nutrition assistance programs (e.g., SNAP, WIC, free and reduced lunch) in Minnesota due to income restrictions, meaning there remains a significant “meal gap” that our food services are well positioned to fill.
In Scott County, the child food insecurity rate is 10.3%. And, while only 2% of White, non-Hispanic individuals experience food insecurity, rates are higher among Hispanic people (16%) and highest among Black individuals (21%), per Feeding America. In addition, Scott County has a high rate of food insecure individuals (47%) who do not qualify for federal nutrition assistance programs (e.g., SNAP, WIC, free and reduced lunch) in Minnesota due to income restrictions, meaning there remains a significant “meal gap” that our food services are well positioned to fill.
Our current programs include the following:
BRICK & MORTAR FOOD SHELVES: At our two choice-model food shelves in Chaska and
Cologne, people choose the foods that fit their dietary, culinary, and cultural needs, including
fresh and non-perishable produce, dairy, proteins, and grains. Families receive, on average, 25-30 pounds of food per individual.
FOOD DELIVERY: Twice a month, we deliver food to Individuals who are homebound or
recovering from an illness. Volunteers bring food to senior residents at two local apartment
buildings every month. To individuals who are homeless and living in nearby motels, we deliver food that is convenient and does not require a full kitchen to prepare. We also deliver to young moms who attend the New Beginnings Program in Chaska, including some foods they learn to prepare through cooking classes. We run our delivery program in partnership with volunteers, Southwest Transit, Carver County, and New Beginnings.
CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES: Through our partnership with Mi CASA, the Latine community can visit the Chaska food shelf during additional hours, when we guarantee Spanish speaking volunteers are present. Mi CASA staff and volunteers manage the food shelf on these evenings, including scheduling appointments, greeting families, helping them through their shopping experience, and connecting them to other community resources. This program has been serving 30-50 families in a three-hour period, and we are now seeing many more Latine families coming to our food shelf during regular hours as well.
SCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM: Bountiful Basket supplies Eastern Carver County Schools with
healthy snacks for kids who otherwise would not have access to snacks throughout the day. All snacks are smart-snack certified and distributed discreetly. For the 2023-24 school year, we are working closely with each school, the school district, District 112 Foundation, and PTO groups to ensure that all schools and children benefit from the program.
FOOD RESCUE: Our food rescue program supplements Bountiful Basket’s purchased and
donated food. Volunteers collect food that would otherwise go to waste from local businesses. Although sometimes past its “best by” date, this food still adheres to USDA guidelines for food safety. Rescuing not only increases food availability but also reduces the amount of dangerous greenhouse gases created by decaying organic waste in Minnesota’s landfills. Food rescue partners include Aldi, Cub Foods, Kwik Trip, Holiday Station, Mackenthuns, Lunds & Byerly's, and Target.
