Had the opportunity to volunteer here a few days ago with SGAD who was celebrating their 15th…read morebirthday, so it was extra special. We were able to hear a bit about The Food Group's mission & how they operate. We packaged elbow macaroni which was pretty chill. The facility was clean & organized! I liked that the stations were spaced out a bit with 3-4 people at each station (which would vary depending on group sizes). Overall a great experience & would highly recommend as a place to volunteer! Very friendly staff!

From the owner: The Food Group is a local nonprofit focused on using nutritious food to strengthen community. We…read morework at the intersection of food access, equity, and nutrition issues related to food and hunger in 32 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We break down barriers to growing good food locally and getting good food to those who need it most.

Sheridan Story is AWESOME...and just renamed themselves Every Meal. Now they aren't named after a…read moreschool that's named after an awful old dead white guy. If you volunteer here, you will likely stand by a table and put canned goods in a bag and then push the bag down the line. That's what we did for 2 hours, and it was fun and fast and upbeat! We were in a large warehouse and the garage doors were open bc it was warm. But had the doors been closed, I would have felt Covid safe bc of the size of the room and our ability to distance and of course we all had masks on. Every Meal gives food to kids all over the metro. It's totally cool. I took my teen and little one. You have to be 8 to volunteer here but I think a lot of 8 year olds would not have the endurance for a 2 hour shift.

The Bloomington Lutheran Church is the site for once a month food pick up donations to stretch your…read morebudget You donate $25 per bundle in advance to get a time slot. Rubys Pantrycan be looked up on line for a site near you. They span several states and get food through corporate donors. It was well organized with traffic directors and people going to each car to check you in and put a post it on your windshield as to how many bundles you paid for. For $50. I got a trunk full of breads, milk, eggs, wraps, taco shells, whole grain bread,oranges, cookies, snack items, frappe mix, fresh tomatoes. Mashed potatoes. Potatoe salad, beef broth,yogurt bars, a jelly roll cake, whole grain bread and other items. Caring helpful volunteers who loaded cats. It was a humbling experience seeing people lined up for rows to be served.

Well Run! Everyone is professional, options are clearly laid out. Everything was so Clean!read more

Dropped off a box of food products I'd received from a client. Quick, easy, and lovely. Writing…read morethis took at least thrice as long as the entire donation process did. RECIPIENTS: The place is clearly well-attended with several individuals and families in the waiting area awaiting their turn in the three entries per 15-minute arrangement, though everyone is free to take as long as they prefer once in the pantry. The pantry itself is spacious with shelves lining the walls of a large room, bustling with activity from shoppers seeking healthy fare. A mobility bus even stopped right in front of the pantry and assisted elderly attendees to the vehicle. From my understanding, they also operate a mobile food pantry truck. DONORS: The shelves could definitely be fuller especially given the level of activity they clearly see, so feel free to drop by with some gifts! Donations are weighed after separating perishables from non-perishables. The weights are then recorded onto a donation receipt, with a copy handed to the donor to go on their merry way through a separate door - which you should look for upon arriving if you're dropping off food, unlike me who unknowingly waltzed into the main area instead. It's a seemingly little thing, but dignity matters a great deal and is among the first things to feel compromised when dealing with difficult times, and it might not feel that great relying on food pantries for some individuals, so I greatly appreciate The Open Door going that extra mile to keep their recipients' sense of comfort in mind. Well done, team. Due to the nature of the environment, I only took a photo of the front for ease of identification for anyone wanting to find it. It's in a low-key plaza sitting at the foundation level of an apartment building behind the high-end shopping center in the area. Google Maps took me for a little spin, so keep your eyes open!

VEAP provides an incredibly necessary community service. I go to VEAP once a month to get food and…read morethey provide "an abundance of groceries" absolutely free. Fish fillets, ground beef, fruits, vegetables, grains, bread, canned foods, frozen foods, sauces, pastries, butter, even sometimes toilet paper, paper towels and napkins. I'm not sure how they've managed to grow to become such an inspirational and clearly imperative service to the community but having been here in Minnesota for more than 20 years may explain it in part. It also requires dedicated and responsible volunteers that work with a smile for everyone that comes through the door. I'd give VEAP 10 Stars or more if I could. We get between 15 and 30 full, well balanced meals for 2 people every month! As an aside, I don't believe any of VEAP's policies could be considered overreach and if you use VEAP and are amazed at what you get for free and feel that VEAP makes you feel deserving and proud, take the time to leave a review!

The individual who assisted me was amazing. She understood my needs and assisted with just that. I…read morehighly recommend their services!

After closing our lake cabin for the season we had way too many pantry items. I had never donated…read morehere before but very happy that I found a place that helps to end hunger locally (serving Dakota County). I will be back as the process was easy and fuss-free.

Super easy to donate food. They have a dedicated door for food donations. Staff are welcoming and…read morefriendly. They offer lots of services beyond food such as clothing, housing help, etc.

From the owner: CROSS Services provides emergency and support services--food, clothing, housing assistance, and…read moremore--to people experiencing financial hardship. More than simply addressing immediate crises, CROSS is committed to working closely with families as they move toward long-term stability. CROSS serves several communities in northwestern Hennepin County, and works collaboratively with other organizations to provide wrap-around support for families in need. Hundreds of volunteers give thousands of hours to make it possible for CROSS to serve more than 14,000 individuals annually. An established non-profit with a forty-four year history of service in the community, CROSS Services responsibly stewards donations to maximize impact.

I used No Dog Left Behind to adopt my puppy Arlo. He was…read morelisted as a terrier, but turned out to be a German Shepherd and Labrador retriever mix so that was a bit of a surprise, but other than that no dog left behind, and the people who run it have been nothing but kind and courteous to me and I don't think they should be held responsible for not knowing what type of dog a puppy is without DNA testing. Anytime I've had trouble with Arlo I have been able to just text the foster family or the woman running the No Dogs Left Behind and ask for help or where to go. They truly care about the animals and they also care about placing them in a good home. I really would recommend them if you're looking to adopt an animal.

We just adopted our third dog through No Dog Left Behind. We have had such a wonderful experience…read morethat we keep coming back to them. The volunteers and fosters are all so wonderful and dedicated to finding great homes for dogs.