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A background image of a table with a box on it that says DONATIONS and is filled with shelf stable bottles or oil, sauces, and dried goods like pasta

Donate Food and Funds

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Donate Food

A donated bag of groceries can go a long way towards helping families in our community.

The next time you are at the store, why not fill a bag for your local food shelf? By mixing and matching the items you donate, you can help a family eat balanced and nutritious meals. Even better? Consider making a financial donation to the St. Peter Area Food Shelf using the Donate button at the bottom of our website. We are able to stretch donated dollars with matching grant funds and purchase items in bulk to help even more individuals in the community.

St. Peter Area Food Shelf a metal wire basket filled with bags of dried rice and potato chips
St. Peter Area Food Shelf a man standing behind a counter in front of food shelves receiving a money donation from a donor
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Donate Money

Just $5 can put 15 meals on the table for a family in our community.

Because we purchase food through Second Harvest Heartland, our partner food bank, alongside federal assistance programs, your financial gift goes further than a dollar spent at the store. Matching grant funds and bulk purchasing help us stretch every donation to serve even more of our neighbors. You can give online using the Donate button, or contact us if you'd prefer to mail a check.

Background image of fruits and vegetalbes piled up

Food Donation Guidelines

Food donations are essential to keeping the Food Shelf stocked!

We accept canned, dried, refrigerated, frozen foods and FRESH PRODUCE donations with some exceptions. And, also personal care and paper products!

We Cannot Accept Items:

  • Past expiration or “best used by” date

  • Items without nutritional information (NO home canned or home frozen foods)

  • That have been opened

  • That are spoiled

And, we discourage large, oversized items.  We are not certified to break down food to smaller sizes so large items only serve one household.

Suggested Donation Items

Mix and match from the list below to help a family build healthy, balanced meals.

*Look for lower sugar and low-salt/low-sodium items when possible

Fruits & Vegetables

  • Fresh Produce!  (we love garden grown!)

  • Canned vegetables (no home canned) 

  • Canned or dried fruit* (no home canned)

Protein

  • Peanut butter, sunflower, and almond butter

  • Canned meats and fish packed in water (chicken, tuna, salmon, sardines)

  • Canned beans

  • Dried beans and peas (black beans, black-eye peas, chickpeas beans, kidney beans, lentils)

  • Nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pecans)

  • Refrigerated/frozen meats IF nutritional information is provided - no home frozen.

Bread and Bakery

  • Corn or whole-wheat tortillas (not requiring refrigeration)

  • Breads and baked good WITH nutritional information - NO HOMEMADE

Dairy

  • Low-fat or non-fat shelf-stable, powdered, or evaporated milk

  • Low-fat soy, almond, or rice milk*

Personal Care/Baby Items

  • Shampoo/Conditioner

  • Soap

  • Deodorant

  • Toothpaste/Brushes

  • Toilet paper/paper towels 

  • Menstrual Products

  • Diapers (Adult and Infant — all sizes)

Grains

  • Brown,  white, Jasmine rice

  • Pasta, where first ingredient listed is a whole grain

  • Whole-grain cold cereals (shredded wheat, toasted oats, raisin bran)

  • Whole-grain hot cereals (oatmeal, cream of wheat, grits)

  • Whole-grain granola*

Cooking & Baking*

  • Vegetable oil

  • Condiments/Syrups/Jams

  • Herbs and spices (black pepper and garlic powder!)

  • Dressings, marinades, dip mixes, gravies

  • Canned or dried broths (chicken/beef)

Meals and Sides

  • Soups

  • Pork & Beans

  • Spaghetti sauces

  • Macaroni/cheese

Snacks/Beverages

  • Whole-grain crackers* 

  • Saltine crackers

  • Popcorn*

  • 100% fruit juice

  • Vegetable juice

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Host a Food Drive

Community collections of food and personal care products are greatly appreciated! Please contact us for support to make your drive a success. Advance notice of large donations of food is greatly appreciated.

Four young boys sorting and bagging fresh carrots on a white table outside in a parkinglot
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