Veap Inc.

“The 990 is first sent to the finance committee for review. After approval, the return is sent to the board of directors for their review and approval prior to submission to the internal revenue service.”

“The board of directors and staff of the organization complete a conflict of interest document annually. An actual or potential conflict of interest includes a relationship or transaction that may provide gain or benefit to a director, officer, or employee of veap or an affiliated person of such person at the expense of or to the disadvantage of veap, or that may affect a director's, officer's, or employee's objective judgment regarding what is in the best interest of veap. Directors, officers, and employees must avoid any activities, interests, or relationships that would interfere with their ability to act in the best interests of veap. It is the policy of veap that the existence of any of the interests shall be disclosed before any transaction is concluded. It shall be the continuing responsibility of the directors, officers, and employees of veap to scrutinize their transactions and outside business interests and relationships for potential conflicts and to immediately make such disclosures. Upon knowledge of interest or potential interest, the interested person is expected to disclose the interest and abstain from the decision pending and remove themselves from any action that would influence the situation.”

“1) the executive committee of the veap board of directors, which is comprised entirely of volunteer, independent directors who are officers of the corporation, undertakes an annual review of the ceo and the ceo's compensation. The compensation of veap"s ceo is assessed and set in comparison to other similar leadership positions in salary surveys undertaken by minnesota's non profit community. 2) the ceo and executive committee also meet to develop a proposed budget amount for the total compensation (including benefits) for all paid staff each year. As part of this process, a review of veap's staff positions compared to similar positions in the minnesota non profit community is undertaken. 3) the recommended compensation of the ceo and for the entire staff is shared and discussed with the finance committee of the board of directors and incorporated into an annual budget which is brought to the veap board of directors by the finance and executive committees for review and approval.”

“Governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements are available upon request.”

“To continue to meet the needs of the community, veap remains dependent on its corps of volunteers. In 2017, approximately 3,000 individuals volunteered with veap. Many of these volunteers are from local congregations, businesses, schools and civic groups. Groups from local businesses, faith community and other organizations volunteer in groups of three or more through veap's donate & do program.”

“In september 2017 veap launched hope for the future, veap's strategic framework 2018-2022. Through this process we reviewed our program data and conducted other research and we identified our strengths as: 1) healthy food access and distribution along with a state of the art facility; 2) resource connection through social services and an integrated service model with hennepin county; 3) an expertise in suburban poverty issues and the impacts on individual and community; and 4) volunteer management: recruitment, training and retaining approximately 3,000 volunteers. A new mission and vision were written and approved by veap's board of directors: vision a thriving community where all are free to pursue their dreams. Mission: together we create pathways to stronger, more hopeful, communities through access to healthy food, housing stability and supportive services. Through the strategic planning process we met with partners, volunteers, donors, elected officials, faith partners and others. In addition, and most important, we conducted multiple client focus groups, interviews and surveys. Our clients told us what they need and through these conversations our core program focus areas emerged: healthy food access; safe, affordable, dignified housing; building social connections and supports. The first major new initiative is the mobile food pantry which launched on march 22, 2018 (see program service accomplishments). Additionally, veap is active in local housing coalitions to maintain and expand the inventory of housing affordable for low-income community members.”

“The learnings from this robust strategic planning lead veap to re-focus and transition several programs, including its senior transportation program. This program which provided rides to seniors to medical appointments was discontinued in 2017 and re-focused to providing access to healthy foods. This re-focus includes a shuttle to and from the veap pantry from a low-income senior housing facility in edina; increasing rides home from the food pantry; increasing food deliveries for homebound seniors; and the mobile food pantry. In addition, veap's holiday toy program was discontinued in part because it did not fit within our program focus areas and the realization that during the toy program, veap was not able to accommodate all food pantry appointment requests. Veap's back to school school supply drive was also modified. Veap will continue to collect school supplies which it will then give directly to the schools for distribution. All clients that were impacted by these changes received support and referrals to other programs through veap's social services staff.”

“Basic needs: access to healthy foods: veap's food program includes a food pantry, supplemental food programs for youth, food deliveries for the elderly and neat (nutrition education and teaching). Veap operates one of the largest food pantries in the state with over 100,000 pantry visits for healthy food in 2017 and distributed over 3.7 million pounds of food , 55% of which was fresh fruits and vegetables. Veap addresses transportation barriers to healthy food access by providing rides home from the pantry as well as a shuttle service to and from veap from a low-income senior housing complex in edina. Veap has two food programs that specifically address youth - through the summer youth food program - families with young children have an extra food pantry visit during the summer months when children are not in school. The student hunger collaborative provides weekend food for students that have been identified as having little or nothing to eat over the weekend. In 2017, these programs provided an addition 1,200 summertime food pantry appointments and distributed 4,548 weekend bags of food to hungry students. Veap has a state-of-the-art commercial and teaching kitchen on site where nutrition education classes are provided for clients. In addition, since 2016 the commercial kitchen has served as a business incubation site for a start up business that produces food for market wholesale.”

“Social services program - the primary goal of veap's social services program is to prevent homelessness and other crises through support, advocacy, referrals and emergency financial assistance that re-stabilize individuals and families. Veap's licensed social workers and bilingual community health worker provide professional services to individuals and families in need with financial assistance for housing, utilities and car repairs. Clients also receive resources and referrals to other community organizations to help them meet their current needs and put them on the road to stability. Social workers meet with new food clients to better understand the situation that precipitated their food emergency. Through the assessment process, clients are connected with other veap programs and community resources to help them regain stability quickly. Individuals and families accessing financial assistance to prevent homelessness through the veap social services program are spending between 60-80% of their income on rent. Three months post program exit, the burden of rent of veap clients has decreased by a minimum of 35% and 84.5% of clients are considered stable in their housing, but still paying well over 50% of their income on housing.”

“Children & youth services program - the children and youth program includes two programs that focus on food (see food program) summer youth food, student hunger collaborative, as well as back to school, holiday toys and birthday bag programs. Veap's annual back to school program provides school supplies to help students in grades k-12 start the school year off right with necessary supplies.”