Interns Use Food Shelf Feedback to Strengthen Community Resources

Student interns frequently volunteer to support our food shelves and resource centers while earning college credit. Recently, public health interns Sumayo and Hodo spent several months helping 360 Communities better understand the needs of neighbors visiting the Burnsville Resource Center and food shelf.

They conducted a community resource needs survey designed to identify additional challenges food shelf guests may be experiencing beyond food insecurity. Their findings were recently presented to 360 Communities leaders and will inform future community resource and referral efforts.

Meaningful Contribution

For Sumayo, a public health and community health major at St. Catherine University, this internship offered the opportunity to contribute something meaningful while learning directly from the community. The interns worked to make the survey accessible in multiple languages so more community members could participate and share feedback.

“I think our project fit well with the culture of inclusivity at 360 Communities because the survey was designed to gather feedback directly from the people we serve,” Sumayo said.

Hodo, a Master of Public Health student in Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota, said the internship deepened her passion for food justice and public health. “It was amazing to have both that balance of directly impacting neighbors through hands-on community work, and by conducting the survey to help better respond to their needs in the future.”

Interns Create Value for Food Shelf Visitors

Community Resources Manager Alex Hands praised the interns for their work and compassion. “Sumayo and Hodo brought tremendous thoughtfulness, professionalism, and curiosity to this project,” Hands said. “They helped us gather valuable information that will strengthen how we serve our community moving forward.”

Both interns said they will take the lessons and experiences from 360 Communities into their future careers. Sumayo said: “To me, 360 Communities represents support, compassion, and connection. It’s a place where people are treated with respect and where the goal is truly to help individuals and families feel supported.”

These efforts are another example of how community members support 360 Communities in unique ways, helping us continually improve programs and services. If you are interested in volunteering or starting an internship with 360 Communities, visit 360Communities.org and fill out our Volunteer Interest Form.