Help Stuff the Bus for local food shelves!

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and Schmitty & Sons Transit are inviting customers and the community to help Stuff the Bus Monday, Dec. 2, through Sunday, Dec. 15, to support local food shelves. Local Cub, Fresh Thyme Market, Hy-Vee, and Lunds & Byerly’s stores are supporting the effort.

An MVTA bus will be stationed at local grocery stores at designated times during the two-week collection period and food and cash donations will be collected for 360 Communities and CAP Agency food shelves serving Dakota and Scott counties.

CAP Agency’s Food Shelf in Shakopee provides immediate food and resources to individuals and families to bridge them through difficult times and help them reach self-sufficiency.

360 Communities serves more than 10,000 people annually with emergency food at food shelves in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Farmington, Lakeville, and Rosemount.

According to Hunger Solutions, Minnesotans made 7.5 million visits to food shelves in 2023, a record high for the third consecutive year. This is more than 2 million more visits than in 2022.

This will be the eighth Stuff the Bus collection. Last year, more than 2,000 pounds of food and $1,500 were donated to local food shelves.

Highest need items at local food shelves are non-perishable and include: canned fish and meat, peanut butter, canned fruit and vegetables, rice and pasta, and cooking/baking items. Cash can also be placed in the Stuff the Bus fare box at the stores during the collections.

MVTA is asking riders, drivers, staff, and the community at large, to Stuff the Bus to support local food shelves. This year, The MVTA is partnering with 10 local grocery stores.

Donate non-perishable food donations or cash at the stores per the schedule below.

• Rosemount Cub Foods, Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Eagan North Cub , Thursday, Dec. 5, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Apple Valley Cub, Friday, Dec. 6, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Apple Valley Fresh Thyme, Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Burnsville Cub (HOC), Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Shakopee Cub,  Monday, Dec. 9, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Prior Lake Lunds & Byerly’s,  Thursday, Dec. 12, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Savage Cub,  Friday, Dec. 13, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Shakopee Hy-Vee,  Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Savage Hy-Vee, Sunday, Dec. 15, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The public and MVTA riders are also invited to participate in the food collection by dropping off non-perishable donations at Burnsville Transit Station and Marschall Road Transit Station. MVTA will have staff and an MVTA vehicle at the sites at the following times:

Burnsville Transit Station, 100 East Highway 13, Burnsville

• Tuesday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 4, 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 5, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Marschall Road Transit Station, 1615 Weston Court, Shakopee

• Tuesday, Dec. 10, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, Dec. 11, 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Thursday, Dec. 12, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information regarding the 2024 Stuff the Bus campaign, call MVTA Customer Service at 952-882-7500.