I had a lot of fun volunteering at second harvest. They are very organized. It's a lot of physical…read morework, but you get a lot done for a worthy cause. I've done two shifts so far and there are a few different projects depending on their needs. So it's not the same thing every time.

Awesome experience! A perfect venue for a fun team building session or networking event for large…read moregroups, while simultaneously providing a service for our community. Location was inconvenient for me as it was a 45 minute drive, but the friendly and helpful staff, combined with their large and beautiful facilities made it worthwhile. Second Harvest Heartland was easy to work with. Their online reservation system made it easy to see which time slots could accommodate us. We were even able to use their large meeting room space to host a 2 hour lunch and networking event prior to our volunteering session. The large room included 2 screens for projecting presentations from your laptop, sound system with microphone and a strong and free WiFi. All of this was of great value to our group! As one of the leaders of Asian Professionals Alliance in MN (APAM), we brought together 70 volunteers from across APAM member companies: 3M, Best Buy, Cargill, General Mills, Medtronic, Target & US Bank. Not only was this venue large enough to accommodate our large group, they were so organized, gave us great instruction and constantly kept the workplace clean, comfortable. They had 6 computers at the entrance for each individual to register for the event. Half of our group boxed care packages for senior citizens while the other half worked to inspect and package 40 pound bags of potatoes for food shelves across the country. My favorite part is that they share the results of your volunteer efforts at the end of your shift. I would absolutely recommend this place for volunteering sessions - for individuals, small groups and large groups!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Both my husband & I enjoyed our experience & the food. I had pimento scrambled eggs. My husband…read morehad an everything bagel with pork.. Service & Ambiance

I've gone to a couple other locations and it's never a first choice place for me. But I can see how…read moreit appeals to others. Had a sister's brunch today and the celebrant sister chose Hope Breakfast Bar. Another sister and I were like darn, it was the choice lowest on the list for both of us. But on our drive there, we decided we'd both try something that we typically wouldn't try to see if it changed our views. I tried the breakfast sandwich. It was decent, not anything I'd ever crave. The bacon overpowered everything else, even the everything bagel! She did the egg farm grazer which was vegetables and quinoa topped with an egg. She said it was fine as well. Both of our meals were on par with previous experiences. Our two other sisters chose some sort of waffle. One was the hope waffle which was good, standard waffle with fruit. The other was chicken and waffles, the taste is decent but the portion was surprisingly large! 4 pieces of chicken with the waffle! As we finished with our meals, I was happy that we weren't disappointed with our food, so that was a win! But they watch your time so carefully. The moment we were sitting for 90 mins on the dot, they asked us to go. So if you're looking for a place to catch up with someone, don't let it be here!