The Food Shelf is available to help individuals and families to get food during a time of need. Households can use the food shelf once a month, as a means to get help with food. If the household runs out of food and has no other resources to get more food during the month, you can visit the food shelf again.
Qualifying households meet the income eligibility guidelines (see button below).
Here is what to expect when using the new food shelf.
1 We ask that people arrive no more than 30 minutes before the food shelf opens. If you do, you are expected to stand, not sit, in line under the canopy, while waiting to enter.
2 The food shelf bathroom is not unavailable until you are shopping in the food shelf.
3 The vestibule of the food shelf will open 10 minutes prior to food shelf opening. We ask that you enter and stand in line, away from the automatic doors.
4 When the intake volunteer opens the food shelf door, one household at a time will enter the food shelf with a shopping cart.
5 At check in, the volunteer will update your information in the computer. Afterwards, the volunteer will read five Food Shelf Expectation Statements to you. We expect everyone using the food shelf to abide by these statements.
The statements are:
- I am here today because my household needs food.
- I understand I can only shop in the food shelf once a month unless I do not have resources to get more food.
- I understand the food I receive today is for my household only. I will not sell or give the food away.
- I will treat staff, volunteers and other shoppers with respect or I will be asked to leave.
- I will follow the policies and processes set by Winona Volunteers Services including food limits, no smoking and no vaping on the property.
6 Please bring your own shopping bags when you visit the food shelf. We will no longer be providing paper bags or boxes for your use.
7 Each shelf is marked with a number, indicating how many items you can take from that shelf. Again, please stick to that limit. We have returned to limits to ensure everyone shopping that day has access to the available food.
8 There is a Nutrition Nook in the back of the food shelf. Here you can talk with Jen, our Nutrition Educator, about specific dietary needs, creating healthy meals, learning new recipes for the available foods, help with meal planning and the like. Information about additional food resources will be available.
9 When you are ready to check out, roll the cart onto the floor scale where a volunteer will record the outgoing weight of food.
10 There is a table available for you to pack your groceries inside or you can take the cart outside to your car. We are ask you return the cart to the inside cart corral when done.
