Various churches, organizations, and individuals generously contribute food each day, each week, each year, to the local food shelf.  Much information about the food shelf is featured in the front page story of the December, 2003, issue of the Victoria Gazette, including the online version.   This album page is only a tiny part of the story; it resulted from a short tour of the CAP Agency.

Mary Riley is the Deputy Director of the CAP Agency, which is the umbrella organization that houses the local food shelf in Shakopee, Minnesota.  Thank you, Mary, for the tour.

Mary said that peanut butter and tuna are two of the most requested items.  "Think of what you buy for your own family," she said.  "That's what people who come here also need."

Mary said that 40 to 50 people per day make appointments to get food here.  There is never too much food at the food shelf.  No one is ever turned away.

This volunteer shows some typical items that people pick up during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.  There are never too many volunteers, said Mary Riley.

Before food is placed on the shelves, it is unpacked and sorted by volunteers.

One of the boxes held jars of baby food, a reminder that people of all ages benefit from food donated to the food shelf.

Large refrigeration units at the food shelf keep eggs and meat fresh.  The electricity to keep these units in operation is part of the cost of running the food shelf.

Mary Riley said that the food shelf also needs nonfood items such as shampoo, diapers, toilet paper, kleenex, soap, toothpaste ...

This is the outside of the building on Canterbury Road where the food shelf is located.  There are many other services inside for people in need, such as the thrift shop.

At the thrift shop, clean and neatly displayed clothes are for sale at extremely reasonable prices, like $2 for a pair of jeans.  Anybody can come to shop here, regardless of income or need.

One of the double racks of clothing held many items for babies and toddlers.

The thrift shop can accommodate more people at one time than the food shelf

Stuffed animals wait to be chosen, picked up, and taken home.

Some of the volunteers at the thrift shop have been volunteering since it opened 25 years ago.

What is collected from purchases at the thrift shop goes back into the CAP Agency  to help pay for overhead expenses and keep the place in operation.

There are many doors to open at the CAP Agency, doors that go both ways.  Thank you, Mary Riley and friends, for your dedication and hard work to help us help each other.