Seasonal Programs
Year-round support for families and community members.
CAP Agency’s Seasonal Programs provide timely support throughout the year, including garden plots, school supplies, backpacks, holiday gifts, household essentials, volunteer opportunities, and ways for the community to give back.
Community Garden
Garden plots help strengthen community, grow produce, and support local food donations.
Backpacks for Success
Students receive brand new backpacks filled with supplies and books for classroom success.
Hope for the Holidays
Holiday support matches donations with children, parents, seniors, and families in need.
Community Garden
Grow food, build community, and support the CAP Food Shelf.
Community Gardens strengthen the community through shared gardening experiences, provide learning opportunities for students, and grow produce for food donations while maintaining community growing spaces. Extra produce grown in garden plots is donated to the CAP Food Shelf and given to local community members.
Garden Plot Details
Spaces are available for a group of gardeners to collectively oversee garden plots near 10th and Main Street in Shakopee. This effort is in collaboration with Scott County Public Health, CAP Agency, and Shakopee Public Utilities Commission, on land owned by the City of Shakopee.
Garden plots are open to all Scott County residents 18 years of age and older and/or employees or clients of organizations within Scott County on a first-come, first-served basis.
Interested applicants who do not live or work in Scott County may apply, but will receive garden plots only if vacant plots are available.
CAP Family Garden Plots
Complimentary garden plots are available to CAP families on a first-come, first-served basis. Plots are limited and available at no cost to qualifying families.
Garden season: May 16 through October 17, opening the week after Mother’s Day and closing in early fall.
To reserve a plot or learn more, contact the Community Programs Manager.
Garden Plot Costs
- $15 for a 4’x4′ plot
- $30 for a 4’x8′ plot
- Scholarships for a percentage of the plot fee are available by request
- Late sign-up may be available if plots remain open
- Eligible CAP families can get a plot at no cost
Scott County Garden Contact
For information about the Scott County garden partnership, contact Scott County.
Backpacks for Success
Helping students start the school year prepared.
CAP Agency provides students of the families we serve with the tools they need for success in the classroom. Children are given a brand new backpack filled with supplies and books, packed by community volunteers.
Eligibility
You must live in Scott, Carver, or Dakota County and have children in school up to 12th grade.
The program is open to current CAP clients.
How to Apply
Families sign up with CAP program staff. Please contact your CAP Agency program to enroll.
If you do not use CAP Agency services or programs, CAP may only be able to assist if extra backpacks remain after distribution.
Distribution
Backpack distribution takes place every year in August or September. Pickups can be scheduled with the staff member who signed you up for the program.
Location:
CAP Agency Shakopee – Parking Lot
738 1st Ave E
Shakopee, MN
Support Backpacks for Success
Donate supplies, give financially, or volunteer.
Backpacks and school supplies are collected June through August. You can support students by hosting a school supply drive, shopping the Amazon Wish List, making a financial contribution, or volunteering.
Host a School Supply Drive
Each backpack should contain helpful school supplies. Bright colors or character backpacks are always appreciated.
- 3 notebooks
- 1 pack of No. 2 pencils
- 1 pack of crayons and/or markers
- 1 bottle of glue and/or glue sticks
- 1 pack of black and/or blue pens
- 1 pack of red pens
- 2 erasers
- 1 pair of scissors
- 1 ruler
- 1 box of tissues
- 2 packs of index cards
Additional Helpful Supplies
- Calculators
- Sharpies
- Highlighters
- 5-subject notebooks
- Dry erase markers
- Post-it notes
Donations are accepted during business hours at CAP Agency locations, with the Shakopee Food Shelf location preferred.
Contact the Development Coordinator to schedule pickup of donated items with the CAP Agency van.
Amazon Supply Wish List
Shop the Amazon Supply List and choose items to donate. Please email CAP after ordering so we can thank you and send a donation receipt.
Amazon Wish ListVolunteer
Volunteer opportunities may include sorting, packing, and distributing backpacks. Contact the Volunteer Coordinator for current opportunities.
Email US
Hope for the Holidays
Help bring holiday cheer to CAP clients.
With budgets being stretched thin for necessities, Hope for the Holidays eases the burden on parents and families and provides comfort and connection to seniors. Hope for the Holidays matches donations with children, parents, and seniors to ensure everyone feels the generosity of the community through CAP’s support network, new gifts, and household supplies.
Adopt-a-Family
Client families create wish lists and are matched with donors who donate gifts specific to those families.
Adopt-a-Senior
Donors fill reusable bags with comfort and care items that are delivered to seniors during the holiday season.
Toy Drive
New toys are collected and distributed to children from birth to age 18 who are not receiving Adopt-a-Family gifts.
Adopt-a-Family
Spread holiday joy to children and families.
Adopt-a-Family spreads the joy of the holidays by providing children and families with gifts. Client families create wish lists and are matched with donors who donate gifts specific to those families.
Donor Information
Donor registration is separate from family enrollment. Families who would like to receive gifts must contact their CAP Agency program staff to register.
The suggested donor contribution is $50 for each child adopted, plus one $50 gift card for the parent or adults in the home.
adopt a family Donor sign up formImportant Adopt-a-Family Dates
Registration and drop-off dates will be posted when the current holiday schedule is available. Registered donors will receive family wish lists and drop-off instructions by email.
Adopt-a-Senior
Provide comfort and care items to seniors.
Brighten a senior’s day by providing comfort and care items this holiday season. Donors fill reusable bags with items seniors often need. Gift bags are hand delivered, creating a personal connection during a holiday season that can be lonely for many older adults.
What to Include
- Dish soap
- Dish towels or hand towels
- Hand soap
- Tissues or Kleenex
- Ground coffee, tea, hot cider, or hot chocolate
- Snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, fruit cups, granola bars, oatmeal packets, or candy
- $10 gift card, such as Cub, Walgreens, or Dollar Store
- Fun items such as slippers, fuzzy socks, a blanket, puzzles, books, word searches, greeting cards, note cards, or stamps
Donor Information
Donor registration is separate from senior enrollment. All seniors in CAP programming will receive a gift bag. No senior registration is needed.
Write a special note or include a holiday card for your senior. A friendly note goes a long way in showing that someone cares.
Registration and drop-off dates will be posted when the current holiday schedule is available.
adopt a senior donor sign up form
Toy Drive & Amazon Wish List
Additional ways to support Hope for the Holidays.
Support children and families by donating new toys, shopping from the Amazon Wish List, or making a financial contribution.
Amazon Wish List
The Amazon Wish List makes it easy to donate gifts to the Toy Distribution program. Packages are sent directly to the food shelf for distribution.
Amazon Wish ListToy Drive
Toy Distribution differs from Adopt-a-Family and Adopt-a-Senior because donors gather new toys to be distributed to the greater community instead of being paired directly with a family. This is a great opportunity for companies, churches, or community clubs looking for a year-end donation opportunity.
Toys are distributed to children from birth to age 18 who are not receiving gifts from Adopt-a-Family. Collected toys should not be gift wrapped.
Donor registration is separate from family enrollment. Families who would like to receive gifts must contact CAP Agency program staff to register.
toy drive donor sign up
Holiday Drop-Off & Questions
Where to drop off holiday donations.
Please refer to your specific program for drop-off times. Donors registered for more than one Hope for the Holidays program are welcome to bring all gift donations at the same time.
Shakopee Drop-Off Location
All gift donations should be dropped off at the Shakopee location.
CAP Agency Food Shelf Shakopee
738 1st Ave East
Shakopee, MN 55379
Please go to the service door.
Questions?
For Hope for the Holidays questions or alternate drop-off arrangements, contact the Community Programs Manager.
Program Privacy
Respectful and confidential support.
Hope for the Holidays is available to those currently participating in one of CAP Agency’s programs. CAP Agency takes great care to ensure all personal information is kept confidential, so families can receive help without fear of their personal information being shared with organizations or individuals who donate to the program.
Looking for another CAP Agency program?
Return to the main Get Help page to explore all programs and services.
View All Programs & ServicesScott Carver Dakota CAP Agency receives Minnesota Community Action Grant and Community Services Block Grant funds through the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families – Office of Economic Opportunity. Executive Director, Jeff Hansen, and Associate Executive Director, Jackie Lara, directly manage and oversee this grant contract. To reach Jeff Hansen, call 952-402-9880.