The Saint Peter Area Food Shelf has been serving families in Nicollet County for over 40 years. Food shelves are lifelines for families who are most affected by sky-high grocery bills and inflation.
In 2025, Minnesotans made over 9 million visits to food shelves, making it the fourth consecutive year of record demand for food assistance.
To help meet this growing need, Cindy Favre, then-new Saint Peter Area Food Shelf director, reached out to University of Minnesota Extension to initiate a SuperShelf transformation, something that had long been discussed.
“I think one of the longest walks in your life is that first walk from your car into the food shelf,” says Favre. “I don't want us to add to that trauma, so we engaged and got this done.”
Dignity and health
The research-backed SuperShelf framework prioritizes a welcoming shopping experience defined by dignity, autonomy and ease of access. It helps food shelves optimize their floor spaces and coordinate community-led partnerships to build resilient systems.
Susie West is an Extension health and nutrition educator and SuperShelf team member who worked closely on this project and many others. Extension and partners celebrated the 100th SuperShelf transformation in April at the Lakes Area Food Shelf location in Baxter.
SuperShelf strategies are now being practiced in more than half of Minnesota counties.
“We have more than a decade of data showing that what food shelf shoppers want is more healthy foods, like fresh produce, meat, eggs and dairy,” says West. “We want them to feel like a food shelf is someplace they want to come, instead of a place that they have to come.”
Neighbors helping neighbors
To Favre, the SuperShelf transformation is also food for the spirit. “Here is a tangible way that I can help my community to be a better place,” she says. “We're going to be here for a while. So let's do this as well as we can. A big part of it for me is trying to take away the stigma of coming to the food shelf.”
Letting shoppers, whom Favre prefers to call “neighbors,” choose their food also adds dignity to the experience and reduces waste because families take only what they know they will eat.
“It’s all part of creating an environment that says ‘You’re welcome here. We care,’” says West. “Seeing communities rally around SuperShelf has been so powerful.”
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