SHIP coordinator discusses “super shelf” model and county updates

Josh Hinke | November 19, 2025

Cook County’s Food Access Council is working to bring improved access to fresh and healthy food to the North Shore through a “super shelf” model.

The super shelf model blends a traditional food shelf with a supermarket-style layout. Instead of receiving preselected boxed foods, families can browse shelves and choose items they need.

“It’s a way to to structure and frame a food shelf access that is a little more akin to shopping in a supermarket.” Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) Coordinator Kristina Campbell Mattson told WTIP. “Kind of the idea is you have categories, and you you can get so many items per category, or so many pounds of fresh produce per category. And that way, it just creates that option of choice. And actually it’s more efficient and cost-effective for food shelves as well.”

The model is offered through the University of Minnesota Extension and was made possible locally through the collaboration of the Food Access Council, a group of nonprofits, businesses and government agencies working together to strengthen food access in Cook County.

The council meets the first Wednesday of each month from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the Cook County Higher Education building. Meetings are open to the public, and a Zoom link is available. Community members can sign up online to receive meeting notifications.

Active Living Steering

Mattson also serves on the Active Living Steering Committee, which promotes physical activity in the county.

The committee recently invited a representative to present on the Sawtooth Bluffs project.

“My focus in my role is to look at how this is developed in ways they can support active living and access and recreation for those in Cook County,” Mattson said. “There are some different ideas that are being considered — increasing some hiking trails, some mountain biking trails that would be more accessible and easier for some of our younger riders or more riders who are maybe not riding those harder trails.”

Mattson praised the work of the Superior Cycling Association and its mountain biking team. The association installed a pump track in the hockey arena over the summer for beginning riders and built a fleet of mountain bikes to expand access to the sport.

“Their team, I think, quadrupled in size this year. I think it was five last year and I think they have 20 this year on the team. And that fleet was a huge part of that to allow kids to try out mountain biking in the area with a bike that they could have lent by the Superior Cycling Association,” Mattson said.

Lactation Support

Mattson has previously served as the Regional Lactation Support Coordinator, but the role is changing as funding shifts.

The position was supported by a grant through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the reallocation of funds means Mattson will wind down her regional work and focus solely on Cook County. She will continue collaborating with the Northland Lactation Network.

“I think this is a great opportunity for us to to move to a shared leadership model and and I think it builds on that the the thread of collaboration,” Mattson said.

The Northland Lactation Network is seeking new members interested in providing lactation support in the region. The group meets every other month on the fourth Monday from noon to 1 p.m.

Those interested can reach out to Mattson by email.

WTIP recently spoke with Mattson about her work as SHIP coordinator. You can find the audio of that conversation below.