Scenario Planning Support from Propel Nonprofits

Propel Nonprofits is offering two different types of FREE support to food shelves navigating these uncertain times:

Scenario Planning Webinar

With cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, TEFAP, and more, it’s becoming more difficult to budget and plan. Join this webinar provided by Propel Nonprofits to explore how to develop new scenario and contingency plans for your organizations. The webinar will provide techniques and approaches to having practical conversations critical to your organization’s decision making while also providing tools to help you plan for different budget contingencies. This free webinar will be offered on two dates:

• Wednesday, Sept. 17, 9:00 – 10:30 AM

Register Here!

• Thursday, Oct. 16, 1:00 – 2:30 PM

Register Here!

Free Office Hours

If you’re looking for 1:1 support to talk through budgeting contingencies or scenario planning questions, Propel Nonprofits offers individualized support through free Office Hours, which are held virtually through Microsoft Teams or in-person at Propel’s Minneapolis office. When signing up you will:  

• Select the one-hour time slot you are interested in  

• Indicate whether you will join in person or virtually  

• Provide a brief description of the support you’re looking for  

Upcoming Office Hours:

• Sept. 24
• Nov. 3

SuperShelf News

For more than 15 years, SuperShelf has supported nearly 100 food shelves in transforming their spaces to be more welcoming, dignified, and centered on fresh, healthy food. This work has set a statewide standard for Good Food and Respect for All and continues to shape how food shelves approach shopper experience today.

Due to recent federal cuts to the SNAP Education Program, SuperShelf has also faced significant cuts. As of August 22, SNAP-Ed staff have completed their work with SuperShelf. This means that new food shelf transformations are on pause, although consultants are working with partners to wrap up outstanding needs. 

Looking ahead, UMN Extension is actively in conversations with partners to preserve and sustain SuperShelf. While details about future implementation are still unfolding, the commitment to dignified food access remains strong. Key resources will continue to be available online, including the SuperShelf landing page, the Campus Food Shelf Guide, the Statewide Food Shelf Survey, and Real Life, Good Food. We know many of you have embraced and carried forward SuperShelf principles in your own work, and that legacy will continue to grow. For questions, you can reach the team here.

Last week for families to apply for Sun Bucks

As summer comes to a close, time is running out for eligible families to get SUN Bucks grocery benefits. SUN Bucks provides $120 per eligible school-aged child to help families buy groceries when school is out for the summer.

Many families were automatically enrolled through programs like SNAP, MFIP, and Medical Assistance - but others must apply by August 31 or they will miss out.

Please help spread the word by sharing this flier (also available in Hmong, Spanish, and Somali) with families who may need to apply.

Advocacy in Action: Spotlight on Erin Haag, United Way of Freeborn County 

This month, we’re launching a new series in our newsletter highlighting “Advocacy in Action”, real-world examples of how food shelves are using their voices to make change. With the emergency food system stretched thin and cuts to SNAP looming, advocacy has never been more important. By sharing stories from partners across the state, we hope to inspire and equip more organizations to see advocacy as part of their mission.

Our first spotlight features Erin Haag, Executive Director of United Way of Freeborn County. Erin has made advocacy part of her everyday work, using a variety of platforms to keep hunger at the center of community conversations. She writes a weekly column in the Albert Lea Tribune and hosts regular radio segments on Power 96, weaving together local stories, data, and calls to action. She also shows up in civic spaces, from remarks she made at the Isaiah Social Safety Net Roundtable to supporting grassroots town hall discussions, she is always bringing forward the voices of her neighbors while modeling a nonpartisan, community-centered approach.

Erin’s work demonstrates that advocacy doesn’t require special expertise or a big platform, it starts with showing up, telling the truth, and connecting the dots between hunger and policy. As we face mounting challenges in our sector, her example is a reminder that advocacy is not separate from service. It is an essential tool for creating lasting change.