WINONA VOLUNTEER SERVICES
402 EAST SECOND STREET, WINONA, MN 55987 www.winonavs.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: WITH DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS AND PARTNERS, WE HELP PEOPLE ADDRESS LIFE'S CHALLENGES IN A RESPECTFUL AND DIGNIFIED MANNER. WE DO THIS THROUGH COORDINATED ASSISTANCE, FOOD PROGRAMS, HOME DELIVERED MEALS, SPECIAL PROJECTS, NUTRITION EDUCATION AND THE CLOTHES SHOPS.

WITH DEDICATED VOLUNTEER AND PARTNERS, WINONA VOLUTNEER SERVICES (WVS) HELPS PEOPLE ADDRESS LIFE'S CHALLENGES IN A RESPECTFUL AND DIGNIFIED MANNER.

THE SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD SHELF WVS IS ONE OF TWO FOOD SHELVES IN WINONA COUNTY. WE SERVED AN AVERAGE OF 755 HOUSEHOLDS (ABOUT 1,450 INDIVIUDALS) A MONTH WITH 38,166 POUNDS OF FOOD, ROUGHLY 51 POUNDS PER HOUSEHOLD. WE REGISTERED 341 NEW HOUSEHOLD AND RENEWED 929 HOUSEHOLDS DURING THE YEAR. THAT IS ROUGHLY 4.8% OF THE CITY OF WINONA'S POPULATION & 2.7% OF THE COUNTY'S POPULATION. QUALIFYING INDIVIDUALS HAVE INCOMES UP TO 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LIMITS. FOR EXAMPLE, A SINGLE PERSON MAKING 11.67 AN HOUR OR LESS OR 24,281 ANNUALLY QUALIFIES AS DOES A FAMILY OF FOUR MAKING 24.13 AN HOUR OR 50,200 ANNUALLY. HOUSEHOLDS SELECT THEIR OWN FOOD BASED ON A MAXIMUM ITEM COUNT OF 30, 35 OR 40 ITEMS DEPENDING ON HOUSEHOLD SIZE. EACH BOX, CAN OR BAG OF FOOD EQUALS ONE ITEM. BAKERY AND BREAD ARE LIMITED BUT NOT COUNTED AS ITEMS; PRODUCE IS UNLIMITED AND NOT COUNTED AS ITEMS. THE NUTRITION EDUCATOR, CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR AND RECEPTIONIST ARE THE THREE MAIN STAFF MEMBERS WHO QUALIFY APPLICANTS, RENEW ELIGIBILITY AND OFFER SINGLE USE FOOD SHELF CARDS. STAFF EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE FOOD SHELF AND IDENTIFIES THE TYPES OF ITEMS TO EXPECT IN THE FOOD SHELF. THIS ENCOURAGES THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE SHOPPING LISTS AND MEAL PLAN TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE BASIC FOOD PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO THEM. THE INTAKE PROCESS INCLUDES PROVIDING ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY FOOD RESOURCE INFORMATION TO THOSE WHO NEED IT. EMERGENCY FOOD ANYONE CAN REQUEST AND RECEIVE UNLIMITED EMERGENCY FOOD WHILE QUALIFYING HOUSEHOLDS CAN ONLY USE THE FOOD SHELF ONCE A MONTH. IN 2019, 972 INDIVIDUALS RECIEVED 8,345 POUNDS OF EMERGENCY FOOD. A STAFF MEMBER HAND SELECTS THE APPROPRIATE FOOD ITEMS BASED ON A CLIENTS FOOD NEEDS. THE FOOD FOR THOUGHT PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF HELPED 393 ELEMENTARY KIDS GET EASY TO EAT SNACKS THROUGH OUR LOCAL BACKPACK PROGRAM DURING THE 2018/2019 SCHOOL YEAR. TEACHERS SELECT THE CHILDREN WITH THE MOST NEED TO BE A RECIPIENTS OF THIS PROGRAM. VOLUNTEERS PACKED AND DISTRIBUTED 12,195 POUNDS OF FOOD AT SEVEN ELEMENTARY AND TWO PRE-SCHOOLS. WE MADE FOOD AVAILBALE AT THE ALC AND WINONA MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR OLDER CHILDREN WHO LACK RESOURCES TO OBTAIN FOOD FOR THEMSELVES. NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SENIORS (NAPS) ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH WE DISTRIBUTE THE NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SENIORS, A FEDERALLY FUNDED FOOD BOX CONTAINING BASIC, NUTRITIOUS, FOOD ITEMS TO SENIORS FROM 2 -4 PM. ADDITIONALLY, WE OFFER A SENIORS ONLY SHOPPING PERIOD IN THE FOOD SHELF DURING THIS DISTRIBUTION. THE ATMOSPHERE IS QUIETER AND LESS HECTIC THAN REGULAR FOOD SHELF HOURS AND SAVES THEM ANOTHER TRIP TO WVS IF THEY SHOP AND PICK UP THEIR BOX ALL ON THE SAME DAY. DURING 2019, WVS DISTRIBUTED 652 BOXES TO QUALIFYING SENIORS.

HOME DELIVERED MEALS: VOLUNTEERS DELIVERED 18,574 NOON MEALS TO 101 HOMEBOUND AND CONVALESCING CLIENTS MONDAY THRU FRIDAY. THERE ARE 67 INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS, 17 BUSINESSES AND 11 CONGREGATIONS COVERING THE 10 ROUTES. CLIENTS EITHER PAY FOR THEIR OWN MEAL AT 4.60 OR 5.10 WITH MILK OR ARE ON A WAIVER THROUGH THE COUNTY IN WHICH THEIR INSURANCE PAYS FOR THEIR MEALS. THE CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR QUALIFIES INDIVIDUALS TO THIS PROGRAM, MONITORS THEIR MEAL REQUESTS, AND RECONCILES THE MONTHLY BILLING WITH THE INDIVIDUALS' INSURER AND STEAK SHOP CATERING WHO BILLS WVS FOR THE MEALS AND OUR BOOKKEEPER WHO SEND THE RECONCILED BILLS TO THE CLIENTS. HOME DELIVERED MEALS WAS LOCALLY STARTED IN 1971 AND SERVES THE CITY OF WINONA AND GOODVIEW. OUR PROGRAM IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE MEALS ON WHEELS DELIVERY SERVICE WHICH IS FEDERALLY FUNDED AND COORDINATED BY SEMCAC. THEIR PROGRAM SERVES PEOPLE IN THE GREATER WINONA COUNTY.

COORDINATED ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: THE CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR WORKS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS (CHURCHES, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDES) AND INFORMS THEM THAT WVS IS THE ONE-STOP-SHOP FOR ANYONE LOOKING FOR ASSISTANCE IN WINONA COUNTY DUE TO CHALLENGING AND UNEXPECTED SITUATION REFERRING INDIVIDUALS TO OUR CENTRALIZED HUB FOR ASSISTANCE SAVES EVERYONE TIME AND MAKES GETTING HELP SIMPLER. A SPECIALIZED FUND FROM THE WINONA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ALLOWS WVS TO ISSUE VOUCHERS FOR GASOLINE, BUS TICKETS, LODGING, DIAPERS, CAB RIDES, CLOTHING, BEDS, RENT, DENTAL SERVICES, ID'S AND OTHER UNFORESEEN NEEDS PEOPLE HAVE. THE CLIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR ISSUED 633 VOUCHERS IN 2019 BASED ON SPECIFIC PROGRAM GUIDELINES. SHE UTILIZED HER NETWORK OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO MAKE APPROPRIATE REFERRALS TO AVOID DUPLICATION OF SERVICES. VOUCHERS TOTALED OVER 53,700 IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.

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