A First-Hand Look at Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf

Why We Should All Be Grateful for the Work of CCEFS!

Kristin Kinney and I planned to connect last Friday to discuss the July 10 Woodbury Community Foundation reception welcoming her to our community. I was running errands, so I stopped by Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf (CCEFS) where she is the new Executive Director.

I had read the statistics – 100 families served each week; 300,000 pounds of food and personal care products distributed annually; 650 children receive Christmas gifts; serving Woodbury, Landfall, Oakdale and South Maplewood; 13 affiliated congregations providing volunteer and monetary support.

The statistics don’t begin to tell the human story of the work that goes on at CCEFS!

I drove into the parking lot to discover dozens of cars, trucks and vans. Trunks or rear hatches were open as men and women loaded bags and boxes of groceries into their vehicles.

Finding the CCEFS entrance at Woodbury Lutheran Church was easy – a steady stream of people were entering and leaving. As I walked in, a volunteer greeted me and asked if I needed groceries. I explained that I was looking for Kristin. The volunteer led me through every room in search of Kristin – the storeroom with shelves full of cans and boxes of food items, a room of fresh produce, refrigerated sections, to name but a few.

Tired, but polite and empathetic volunteers were everywhere assisting clients. The clients – men and women, some with children – were loading bags and boxes into shopping carts or four wheel carts. It was a beehive of activity.

Part of me wanted to talk with the clients, to learn their stories and their feelings about CCEFS. I resisted the temptation, knowing that client confidentiality is critical to the program. I also realized that clients are served here without judgment about their life challenges or the reasons why they need help.

We didn’t find Kristin (she was rounding up lunch for the volunteers). But, I was glad I had stopped by. Seeing CCEFS  first-hand reinforced how important their work is to our community; it affirmed my conviction that we all need to both welcome Kristin Kinney to Woodbury and  support her and her volunteer workforce.

Most of us who live in Woodbury will never see first hand the work of CCEFS, but we all owe them our gratitude for such unselfish and charitable work that is indeed making Woodbury a better place to live for all.

– Roger Green, Volunteer Board Member, Woodbury Community Foundation

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Please join us to show our support for Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf  and to Welcome Kristin –

Welcome Kristin to Woodbury Reception

4:00 to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 10

Brief Program at 4:40 p.m.

Woodbury City Hall Ash and Birch Rooms

Free – CCEFS Good Will Donations Accepted

RSVP to wcf@woodburyfoundation.org

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Thank you to the Reception Sponsors –

CorTrust Bank – a third-generation family-owned community bank, with local offices in Woodbury and Blaine.   CorTrust provides a full array of commercial and consumer banking services throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Kowalski’s Market – committed to bringing you an environment that wraps itself around you from the time you walk into the market until you leave the parking lot. We do our best to provide you with a warm, intimate shopping experience, complete with a friendly staff ready to answer questions and carry groceries to your car.

Prelude Homes – a recognized leader in Memory Care, dedicated to enabling residents to live life to the fullest. Prelude’s Memory Care Cottages on Raleigh Road in Woodbury provide a safe haven for those with memory loss with a unique blend of environment, technology, specialized care and nationally recognized programming.