Basic Needs Food Market — Local services in Cottage Grove

I’m a local who is gone to this food shelf multiple times but today I had a saddening experience. Me and my sister live together, but have a unique situation as I am a 23 year-old trans man trying to get on my own feet and live independently. Me and my sister entered the store just for essentials and as soon as I started, selecting just small necessities, my sister was approached by a worker with blue hair who asked if I was her son, My sister awkwardly kind of said yes, but she then approached me and said because we were Household, I had to put my cart back. The associate originally was using, sir, but the minute I spoke, she switched to ma’am And then walked away with my cart and the 2 items I had selected…. Then I had to walk Following my sister, but not allowed to pick anything for myself. When exiting the worker was sitting by the door and made eye contact with me. I’m deeply saddened, as again as a local. I have also been to their thrift store and felt fully welcomed as they do have some queer presenting staff. This is not an organization to help people in need. You shouldn’t have to explain your exact situation and be discriminated by staff just because you need help. If you didn’t need the help why the heck would you be in a food shelf…… discussed and...

I will never come back here. I would rather go hungry! It all started as a normal trip and then when I got to the produce, it said it was unlimited-I ended up grabbing like four apples and four pears- They had jalapeños and different peppers so I grabbed a handful of jalapeños and two or three of the other peppers but not a huge amount. The guy comes over and he’s changing his sign and he says oh yeah because you were aggressive with taking the produce.🥹 And I even told him you just made me feel really uncomfortable. I just wanted to leave my food and walk away.. I was really embarrassed to have that directed directly towards me - I felt that I was doing something- I shouldn’t of been doing,also, as you walk out the door. These people have a big bucket that says food isn’t free and they want you to donate😏 a lot of people come here because they can’t afford food because they have house payments and car payments and it’s rough nowadays.-Anyhow, unbelievable and negative attitudes of most people that work here-There are some very nice ladies here as well, if you’re gonna do God’s work, don’t be...

I was in there last week and was shamed by a woman working there. I have a female cat that ran out the door late at night during a snow storm. She was back the n X-ray morning but I found out she was going to have kittens. She had 6 and I’m doing my best to care for them. Muring cats each 6 times what they would normally eat. I took two small baggies of food. The woman came up to me and told me I could only have one baggie. I told her about my nursing cat. She said that didn’t matter. I told her how much she needed to eat. She again said it didn’t matter. She also said only one so other people would be able to get some. There was absolutely NO shortage of food. There were people standing around us. The minute I walked away she turned and started talking to those people. I felt so shamed. It is hard enough to depend on food shelves to survive. No one needs to be shamed by people who aren’t able to appreciate the need of others. I would think the woman would do a lot better to examine what compassion is toward those in need. My community is suppose to be helpful...