TRANSFORMING FOOD SHELVES TO BRING GOOD FOOD TO ALL
Become a SuperShelf
Is your Minnesota food shelf
interested in SuperShelf?
We are so excited for your interest!
We would love to learn more about your food shelf so we can
better understand how to support you.
To begin the process, please submit an online
SuperShelf Transformation Interest Form.
Someone from our SuperShelf Implementation Team at the
University of Minnesota Extension
will be in touch with you within 3 weeks.
Our aim is for food shelf participants to access healthy, culturally
appropriate foods in the easiest and most dignified way possible.
Everything we do at SuperShelf, from our methods to our
standards, exists to ensure the best possible
experience for food shelf participants.
We look forward to working in collaboration with
you on these shared goals!
In the meantime, take the following steps using resources available on our website to help build critical foundations to prepare your food shelf for a SuperShelf transformation in the near future. Creating a welcoming environment with access to healthy, culturally appropriate foods is something that your organization can start on right away!
1. Review the SuperShelf Values and talk to your leadership team, staff, and volunteers about how these values align with the values of your organization. Incorporate SuperShelf values into your operations and practices wherever you can.
2. Take a deeper look at your sourcing and the SuperShelf Stocking Standards, and consider what items you may be missing or have a difficult time sourcing. This will include:
-
Work with Foundation for Essential Needs (FFEN) who can support you with a robust Food Sourcing Analysis and the opportunity to attend the Welcome to Hunger Relief Training.
-
Work with your food bank partners to help increase the items that clients want and need based on the SuperShelf stocking standards and the Food Sourcing Analysis.
3. Take a look at TEFAP resources around civil rights and equity.
4. Engage your clients in a survey. Surveying your clients helps you better understand their needs so you can create positive change in our hunger relief system. Information on the Minnesota Statewide Survey is available here. If you did not participate in 2019, You can use a blank version of the survey to collect feedback.
5. Join our mailing list. We periodically send out newsletters when new funding opportunities arise and new resources become available
FAQ
Is submitting an Interest Form an application process?
No, unlike the NIH evaluation study, this process is not an application. When a food shelf submits an interest form, someone from our SuperShelf Implementation team from the UMN Extension Services will be in touch with next steps to get you started with a SuperShelf consultant. Our intention is to work with all food shelves that submit an Interest Form.
How do I become a Certified SuperShelf?
Becoming a certified SuperShelf is a more in depth process than transformation alone and includes support from a lead SuperShelf consultant in addition to a local consultant. By filling out the interest form above, someone from our SuperShelf team will be in touch to move you forward with SuperShelf values and methods. Food Shelves undergoing a transformation have the opportunity to be certified.
Are you accepting Interest forms from food shelves outside of Minnesota?
No. Currently we are only working with food shelves in Minnesota. We do hope to expand across state lines in the future, so please stay tuned!
What about the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Evaluation?
Our NIH evaluation is underway in 16 food shelves across Minnesota. We expect results to be available in fall 2021. While the NIH evaluation is wrapping up, there are still great ways to engage with or start working towards SuperShelf now listed above! And more opportunities coming soon!