NEWS

Time is running out to donate in food shelf challenge

Stephanie Dickrell
sdickrell@stcloudtimes.com
Volunteer Thomas Kleis, St. Cloud, talks about the items that families get when they come to the food shelf at the Salvation Army shelter in 2009 in St. Cloud.

The deadline for a food-donation challenge is approaching. In the month of July, the Open Your Heart summer challenge matches up to $5,000 in donations to participating food shelves.

In St. Cloud, the St. Cloud Salvation Army and Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud are included.

Last year, 165 food shelves raised more than $1.5 million and received an additional $150,000 in matching grants. Open Your Heart is a Minnesota nonprofit focused on helping free people from hunger and homelessness.

So far, the St. Cloud Salvation Army has raised $18,000, said Karla Rolfzen, social services program coordinator. That meets the amount to receive the full match. But the group's goal is about $30,000. Last year, it raised about $60,000, but half of that came from one large donation.

Catholic Charities has raised enough money to get the full match of $5,000.

While the food shelf has reached this goal, it still is in need, said Trina Dietz, communications coordinator. Donations of food are always welcome. They add variety to the food shelf.

Food shelves that haven't hit the Open Your Heart donation goal have about a week to receive the full match. Any monetary donations made in July will go toward that goal, so people have a chance to double their donations.

Facing summer on an empty stomach

Donations to food shelves tend to drop off in the summer, as people get busy with activities. They're also strained in summer because of need. Kids who would usually receive breakfast and lunch at school are without those meals in the summer.

Food shelves welcome kid-friendly donations, such as macaroni and cheese, cereal, snack items, heartier soups and canned meals like ravioli, Rolfzen said. They're easy for kids to make.

Donations of money are also always welcome.

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Participating food shelves in Central Minnesota

Mail donations or drop off food at:

  • CROSS of Benton County, P.O. Box 205, Foley, MN 56329
  • Clearwater-Clear Lake Food Shelf, P.O. Box 324, Clearwater, MN 55320
  • Community Connection Food Shelf, 523 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, MN 56378
  • McLeod Emergency Food Shelf, 808-12th St. E, Glencoe, MN 55336
  • Melrose Area Food Shelf, 207 Stearns County Road 113 SE, Melrose, MN 56352
  • Salvation Army, St. Cloud, 400 U.S. Highway 10 S, St. Cloud, MN 56304
  • Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 2390, St. Cloud, MN 56302

Note: Donations of food do not count toward the match goal total, but they are always welcome. 

Donate online: 

Catholic Charities: ccstcloud.org/services/emergency/how-you-can-help. 

St. Cloud Area Salvation Army: salvationarmynorth.org/community/st-cloud.