New Ulm Area Emergency Food Shelf Inc

For the past 36 years the New Ulm Area Emergency Food Shelf (NUAEFS) has taken great pride in being able to provide food for the needy in our area by using in-kind donations. In the past several years we have seen an increase in those in need, there has also been a change in the type of products that we offer to include more perishable items such as frozen meats and fresh fruits and vegetables.  

Last year we served 6,575 people (2,331 children, 3,255 adults and 989 senior citizens). We serve needy residents of New Ulm, Courtland, Lafayette, Hanska, Searles, and Essig. 

The NUAEFS has tried to accommodate these changes by expanding the client area and remodeling it to make it more user friendly, by purchasing coolers and freezers to store the perishable items and in 2017 expanding the building to add additional storage space, an area for a purchased walk-in freezer and a designated area for the newly acquired Nutritional Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS) by using unrestricted funds that had been saved. With all of these changes we have made, our overhead costs have drastically increased. 

In the past 9 months since taking over the NAPS program we have seen a 90% increase in the number of seniors we serve, although we feel that is a great increase, we feel there are many more that can benefit from this program and are reaching out to those in need. 

The NUAEFS employs one part time Executive Director to manage and oversee all operations at the food shelf. There are about 40 to 50 volunteers a week who donate their time to help us accomplish our mission.  

In the past several years more and more worthy non-profit organizations have been formed in our area with all of them looking for funding, as a result our funding has decreased but our costs have increased.