Our Drive-Thru Food Shelf will continue through October and Curbside Pick-Up will start in November!
As winter approaches and COVID-19 remains a concern in our world, we at The White Bear Area Food Shelf want to continue to provide healthy food to our neighbors while ensuring the well-being and safety of our neighbors, volunteers, and our community. On Monday, November 2, we will be switching our model of food distribution from a Drive-Thru to a Curbside Pick-Up. This change will include providing more choice in food selections to our neighbors while moving some of our operations indoors.
Our new Curbside Pick-Up Hours, starting in November, will be:
- Monday & Tuesday: 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Thursday & Friday: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
All are welcome and no appointment is needed to visit our Curbside Pick-Up! Here’s the process we will follow:
- Neighbors will be greeted when they arrive at the Food Shelf, given an order form for their food selections, and asked to park in one of the designated spots.
- When the food order form is complete, please turn on your hazard lights to signify this, and a volunteer will pick up your form.
- Your order will be fulfilled indoors and brought out to your car. We are asking neighbors to load their own groceries in order to maintain social distancing for everyone. If assistance is needed, please just let us know.
- Please push your cart back up to our building before leaving.
The Food Shelf will be CLOSED on October 29 and 30 to prepare for the new model. We appreciate your patience as we make these adjustments to our food distribution process!
- Shopping – ANYONE from ANYWHERE can come get prepacked To-Go bags at our Drive-Thru Food Shelf during the shopping hours listed above. These can be picked up weekly or as needed (no appointment needed). Also, neighbors are experiencing longer wait times in the first 30 minutes the drive-thru is open. The Food Shelf strongly encourages people to come later to help decrease wait times. We have plenty of food and we look forward to serving our community!
- Delivery of Food – If you are unable to get to the Food Shelf, there are options for delivery of food in our area:
– Washington County Food Support Line – if you need assistance and live in Washington County, call 651-430-6688.
– Metro Mobility – current riders may contact them for delivery at 651-602-1111 or metromobility@metc.state.mn.us - Donations – We encourage people if they are able to give financially to do so. You can either DONATE ONLINE or through the mail. For every $1 donated the Food Shelf is able to purchase $8 in healthy groceries for families struggling to make ends meet. During this time, financial donations are the best way to help our neighbors in need! In order to maintain social distancing for all, we asking that all food and garden donations be placed in the Donation Bin in our parking lot. Please bring these items Monday through Friday only.
The White Bear Area Food Shelf has served as a critical resource for families experiencing food insecurity since 1977. Providing food and support to over 1,200 families each month, we work toward eliminating barriers that have traditionally limited access to healthy food for families living on a low or fixed income. Our vision is to end food insecurity in the White Bear Area.
Who We Serve
We provide food and support to neighbors who self-identify a need for food. Our programs are open to anyone in need of food regardless of geographic boundaries.
What We Do
Neighbors meet initially with a community resource volunteer who conducts a brief assessment, provides referral connections to other community resources, and assists with additional support as needed. During a monthly shopping visit neighbors have access to their choice of milk, eggs, meat, pasta, rice, fresh and frozen produce and a variety of other dry goods. Other programs include weekend KID Packs, Mobile Markets, Free Farmer’s Markets (seasonal), School Food Pantries, Community Resource Program, and a Family Stability Emergency Fund.
In recent years, the White Bear Area Food Shelf has expanded our services and strengthened our strategies to meet the changing needs of our community.
How you can help
We rely on generous donors like you to advance our mission of providing food and support to our neighbors in need. $1 donated will purchase $8 in healthy groceries for families struggling to make ends meet. You can support your local food shelf through volunteer opportunities, sponsoring a food drive, and/or making an online donation today!
