Waconia food shelf open through construction

As the Cologne food shelf gets ready for a move, the transition of the Watertown food shelf to a Gather and Grow facility is going well, according to Angie Cruzen, the Waconia food shelf’s executive director.

Gather and Grow has secured $10,000 in grant funds it will be using to update and expand the Watertown food shelf space, introduce new shopping models, and promote service to the area, she said. The upgrades are targeted for early fall of this year.

Cruzen said that many shoppers have started visiting both locations and that the Watertown food shelf has received positive feedback from the community and shoppers.

Meanwhile, as construction continues in downtown Waconia, Gather and Grow has been in regular contact with the construction company and food banks to ensure that food deliveries are not affected and that the Waconia food shelf can still source what it needs to stay open.

“We have not seen a big impact in the number of people using our Waconia site and are grateful Main Street has reopened from Pine Street to our entrance for easy access to our parking lot,” Cruzen said. “We also value our partnership with the Waconia Legion regarding communicating construction updates and working to ensure people can access both of our parking lots.”