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Mission

SuperShelf transforms food shelves, creating welcoming environments for communities to access appealing, healthy food.

Vision

A transformed food system where all people thrive.

About Us

SuperShelf Values
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GOOD FOOD: We believe reliable access to healthy, appealing and culturally appropriate food will promote overall health in our communities.

 

RESPECT FOR ALL: We believe client-centered, welcoming, and positive approaches create dignified experiences that further equity in our communities.

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COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS: We believe mutual trust and fully-engaged partners build strong, connected communities working toward sustainable systems change.

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EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES: We believe excellence comes from thoughtful, rigorous evaluations, and replicable solutions.

 

SYSTEMIC THINKING: We believe influencing policy and processes at all levels drives transformational change in our food system. 

Founding Partners

SuperShelf was developed by four founding partners:

  • HealthPartners

  • Valley Outreach

  • The Food Group

  • University of Minnesota Extension and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health 


Founding partners work collaboratively with the SuperShelf Leadership Team comprised of local public health and other health and hunger organizations.

Leadership Team

  • Hunger Solutions Minnesota

  • Second Harvest Heartland

  • Channel One Food Bank

  • The Statewide Health Improvement Partnership / Minnesota Department of Health

  • Office of Economic Opportunity / MN Department of Human Services

  • Community Action Center of Northfield

  • Ramsey County Public Health

  • Foundation for Essential Needs (FFEN)

  • HealthPartners

  • Valley Outreach

  • The Food Group

  • University of Minnesota Extension and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health

  • White Bear Area Food Shelf

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Are you interested in being part of the SuperShelf leadership team? Read our Commitments and Responsibilities. 

History

SuperShelf was built out of a 2012 partnership between Lakeview Health Partners and Valley Outreach, called Better Shelf for Better Health. This partnership transformed Valley Outreach's food shelf, and the methods were shared with several other local food shelves. Meanwhile, the Metro Area Food Access Network (MFAN) Hunger/Food Shelf Action team provided a platform for community partners to connect and advance the conversation for healthy food shelf work. SuperShelf then received funding for a pilot evaluation study from Duke-UNC BECR combined with funding from UMN Extension Family Development/SNAP-Ed. As the SuperShelf partnership has grown, it has become a movement with more and more transformed food shelves across Minnesota. 

 

In 2017 the SuperShelf partnership received National Institutes of Health funding to expand and formally evaluate the project. 

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Additionally, in 2019 University of Minnesota Extension provided funding to support 12 additional transformations and HealthPartners provided funding for 3 additional transformations in rural areas of Minnesota. 

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As we look ahead at 2020 and beyond, we aim to continue our reach within Minnesota and work toward a transformed food system where all people thrive. 

Learn more about what we do or the sites we work with.

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