Volunteers are the backbone of most Minnesota food shelves — and recruiting, retaining, and mobilizing them effectively is one of the hardest parts of the job. When daily operations take over, volunteer management is often the first thing that gets pushed aside. The result: stretched staff, inconsistent volunteer experiences, and capacity that never quite keeps up with community need.
The FFEN Essentials: Food Shelf Leader Cohort was built to change that.
This fall, we’re welcoming up to 15 food shelf leaders into a six-session virtual series with a focused emphasis on building sustainable volunteer engagement — alongside broader work in organizational effectiveness, change management, and community connection. You’ll leave with practical tools and strategies for recruiting and retaining volunteers and defining roles and responsibilities. Additionally, we’ll focus on ways to create welcoming experiences for volunteers and shoppers while building the kind of organizational culture where volunteers want to stay.
This isn’t a lecture series, it’s a peer learning space shaped by the needs and experiences of leaders in the room. We’ll work through real challenges alongside fellow food shelf leaders from across Minnesota, and you’ll be able to apply what you’re learning directly to your organization.
Here’s what to know:
- Six 3-hour sessions on Zoom, Thursdays 9 a.m. – Noon
- Dates: August 13, August 27, September 10, October 8, November 12, and December 10
- Free of charge
- Open to food shelf leaders statewide — with priority given to organizations in Greater Minnesota and those with limited or no paid staff
- Recommended for leaders with at least six months in their current role
This is a space to learn alongside peers, try out new approaches, and leave each session with practical tools you can put to work right away.
Applications are due by EOD Wednesday, July 22nd.
Questions? Reply to this email or reach out to programs@ffen.org. We’d love to have you.
This project is supported by a Volunteer Generation Fund Grant from ServeMinnesota.
ServeMinnesota is a hub for innovation creating high-impact, evidence-based programs that meet communities where they are, improving lives in Minnesota and beyond. As the state’s Commission on National and Community Service, ServeMinnesota combines national service with research in education, housing, health, environmental conservation, and more. Annually more than 2,000 adults serve their communities through these programs in 78 of the state’s 87 counties. Two of ServeMinnesota’s signature programs, Reading Corps and Math Corps, have received national recognition for their effective and scalable tutoring model. Combining public and private dollars, strong community partnerships, and proven research, ServeMinnesota makes meaningful contributions to the state. For more information, visit http://www.serveminnesota.org
