Food Resources

Many are Hungry for Your Donation

Did you know as little as $25 a month can bring 1000 pounds of food to our free Food Market? Working with our food rescue partners allows us to provide nutritious food to those in our community at a low cost. You can help by donating money to our food programs. Monthly donations allow a continuous supply of nutritious food to those who need it.

DONATE TO SUPPORT FOOD PROGRAMS

Donate food and supplies

Basic Needs strives to provide shoppers with a variety of nutritious foods, household and cleaning supplies, diapers, wipes, and pet food as available. Following are items we need most, and those we cannot accept from the public. Please email food@basicneedmn.org or call 612-489-6192 with any questions.

Donations can be brought to the Food Market at 8475 East Point Douglas Road South in Cottage Grove (next to Papa Murphy’s) between 9am and 3pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am-5pm Wednesdays, and Saturdays between 9am and 11am. If we are not open, ring the bell by the front door and a volunteer will help you!

What we need most:

  • Gluten Free and Sugar Free: foods and snacks

  • Fruits and Veggies: Fresh garden produce, and canned fruits and veggies

  • Grains & Pasta: Oatmeal, rice, and pastas like spaghetti, penne, macaroni

  • Cooking supplies: spices, olive oil, cooking oil, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, salad dressing, milk alternatives

  • Canned items: soups, ravioli, chili, pasta sauce, tuna, etc.

  • Personal Care: Baby diapers (Newborn-Size 6), Pull-Ups (2T-5T), adult incontinence products, baby wipes, pads and tampons, shampoo, and body wash

  • Household Items: laundry detergent, dish soap, paper towels, toilet paper and napkins

  • Pet items: dog and cat food ,and treats

What We Cannot Accept

We are very thankful for public donations! Due to food safety regulations, we cannot accept the following:

  • Refrigerated or frozen items – we cannot accept these due to food safety regulations requiring us to document temperatures of food at every stage of transportation to us.

  • Open containers of food – food must be sealed or individually wrapped and labeled to be donated

  • Expired foods: no food past one year of best by or expiration date for canned or boxed goods, and baby food must be before expiration or best by date.

  • Feeding tube or medical supplies

  • Unlabeled foods of any type