- BEYOND BREAD TO THE BREAD OF LIFE. BEYOND OURSELVES TO CHRIST.
Donations are accepted Monday – Friday between 9am – 12pm.
Please use the call box to the left of the front glass doors and someone will assist you.
For donations of 20 or more grocery bags, we ask that you set-up a drop-off appointment by calling 612-870-1125 or by emailing Annette Roth at aroth@cesmn.org.
The CES Food Shelf strives to provide equitable access to healthy and familiar foods to the diverse communities that we serve. Each family’s food needs are different, and our goal is to provide varieties that best meet those needs, including culturally universal and culturally specific food options.
We rely on food donations from individuals, faith-communities, businesses and schools, along with financial donations and grant funding, to help stock our shelves with culturally connected foods each week.
Please consider partnering with us in giving intentionally from the following categories:
Culturally-Universal Foods
Foods that meet the needs of most of our neighbors
– Cooking oils: vegetable, olive
– Sugar (2 lb bags)
– Flour (2 lb bags)
– Ground Coffee (small bags)
– Regular Black Tea
– White Rice
– Applesauce
– Canned Peas and Canned Carrots
– Canned Tuna and Sardines
– Spices: Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Chilli Powder
Culturally-Specific Foods
Foods that meet the needs of many of our Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) visitors, including many of our immigrant neighbors from East Africa, West Africa, Latin America, and South East Asia
– Dry Lentils
– Dry Black Beans
– Dry Black-Eyed Peas
– Dry Great Northern Beans
– Diced Tomatoes (plain)
– Canned Hominy
– Maseca Flour
– Fish Sauce
– Rice Noodles
– Spices: Cumin, Turmeric, Ginger, Curry Powder
High-Request Items
Popular foods requested by our neighbors and many of our Home Delivery recipients:
– Jar Pasta Sauce
– Meat Chilis and Beef Stews
– Ramen Noodles (Chicken Flavor)
– Cereal
– Instant Oatmeal
– Honey
– Snack Crackers
– Hearty/Chunky Soups
– Peanut Butter
– Shelf-stable Coconut and Almond Milk
Single-Item Donation Drives
At times, it is very helpful for us to receive a large quantity of one type of food item. This is especially helpful for our Home Delivery Program where we pre-pack groceries with foods that many of our neighbors enjoy such as sugar, cooking oil, rice, and pasta sauce. Contact us to learn more about how a Single-Item Donation drive can help meet one of our current needs (Annette Roth at aroth@cesmn.org).
Items we are not able to accept:
Extra-large cans or bulk-sized foods
Opened packages or partially used foods
Expired food
Homemade foods or baked goods
Due to food safety regulations, we are unable to accept perishable items such as meat, eggs, dairy, frozen meals, or deli foods unless they are from a licensed business. We DO, however, accept fresh fruits, vegetables, and bread.