We often get the question, “Why do you serve people who aren’t from Stillwater?” or “Why do you serve people from anywhere?” The short answer is everyone needs help sometimes – regardless of their geography – and that is what we’re here to do.
But let’s go a little deeper.
We help everyone who comes to us in need
Helping people is core to our mission and who we are as an organization. We take pride in creating a welcoming, dignified place for people to shop and access services.
Valley Outreach staff and volunteers directly contribute to the positive experience of clients; it’s reflected in word-of-mouth referrals and recommendations from clients.
“I love going to this place rather than the ones in my city because they have many options that accommodate our family needs and free clothing section as well.”
“Kind and caring volunteers who help so many people in our community”
“Very GREAT personal experience. Everyone that I have come in contact with who either volunteer or work there, have been so very kind, and helpful.”
Food shelves across the state welcome everyone from anywhere
Like most food shelves in Minnesota, Valley Outreach distributes food that comes to us through The Emergency Food Assistance Program also known as TEFAP.
One of the guidelines for TEFAP food programs is to provide food to anyone in need regardless of geography. This is a requirement that has been in place for more than a decade and one that aligns with our mission, vision, and values.
TEFAP is run by the USDA and is a valuable source of food for our SuperShelf. We distribute nutritious government-purchased food from American farmers to food shelf shoppers. It’s a win for farmers and a win for people in need of food.
Food programs are seeing increases in use across Minnesota
If it seems like we are serving more people, it’s because we are! Like food programs across the state of Minnesota, we are experiencing an increase in the number of people who access food programs. “More Minnesotans visited food shelves in 2023 than any year in recent history,” from the Star Tribune, Jan. 24, 2024.
This is due to several factors beyond the control of individuals – low wages, high rents, inflation, and more positively better access to food shelves and food programs.
Overall, more people from Washington County and Ramsey County are using our services. When we make it easier to access services, it improves the experience for everyone. We are not serving one population of people at the expense of another. Everyone has access to a variety of high-quality food and clothing.
If you’d like to learn more about demographics in these counties and across the state, check out Minnesota Compass. They offer well-researched data and insight to help communities thrive.
Read more of our other frequently asked questions.
