Catholic Charities and Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless Announce Annual Food Shelf Challenge Grant

July 13, 2020

Donations can be made online at ccstcloud.org/donate

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud and Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless announce the tenth annual food shelf challenge grant, benefiting Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf.

Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless will proportionally match donations to Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf during the month of July, up to $4,000, to help end hunger in the St. Cloud area. The more funds raised in July towards the food shelf, the larger the matching grant from Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless will be.

The Open Your Heart Summer Challenge aims to boost food shelves in Minnesota when they need it most. During the summer months, food shelf donations are traditionally low. For the thousands of Minnesota families that rely on free breakfast and lunch programs during the school year, the summer makes it difficult for them to secure food. In partnership with Hunger Solutions Minnesota, Open Your Heart’s Summer Challenge makes it possible for Minnesota food shelves to restock and distribute fresh and frozen foods during this difficult time of year. Donations can be made online at ccstcloud.org/donate.

Minnesota summers were made for trips to the cabin, boat rides on the lake, and farmers market outings, not food shelf visits. But that’s the reality for thousands of Minnesotans. Children are home from school and the family budget is tight. Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf helps provide nutritious fruits and vegetables to these families and they needs your help this summer.

Recent data from McKinsey & Company, collected on behalf of Second Harvest Heartland, anticipates a coming hunger crisis in Minnesota unlike anything seen since the Great Depression. Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 in 11 Minnesotans struggled to afford food. By August of 2020, it’s expected that 1 in 8 will now face hunger.

About Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless

Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless believes that every Minnesotan should be free from hunger and homelessness, and makes an impact by partnering with those who serve people in need, growing donor engagement and increasing awareness. Learn more at oyh.org.

About Hunger Solutions Minnesota

Hunger Solutions Minnesota works to end hunger in our state by taking action to assure food security for all Minnesotans while supporting programs and agencies that provide food to those in need, advancing sound public policy and guiding grassroots advocacy. Learn more at hungersolutions.org.

About Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud is a nonprofit organization that works to build communities, promote family life and enhance human dignity by providing quality services to meet the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals and families of all faiths and beliefs. Learn more at ccstcloud.org.

Our Recent News

Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless Summer Challenge

By Brittany Hoversten • July 1, 2025
Summer should be a time of fun and freedom — but for many families in Central Minnesota, it’s a time of deep uncertainty. Without school meal programs and with rising grocery prices, far too many of our neighbors are struggling to put food on the table. That’s why we’re excited to announce that Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf is once again participating in the Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless Summer Challenge — and we need your help! What Is the Summer Challenge? Every July, food shelves across Minnesota take part in the Open Your Heart Summer Challenge — a statewide fundraising effort where donations are matched through grant funding. That means every dollar you give to our food shelf during the month of July helps us qualify for a matching grant of up to $4,000. It’s a powerful way to double your impact and ensure we can continue meeting the growing need in our community. The Need Has Never Been Greater Food insecurity remains heartbreakingly common in our state. According to a 2024 statewide hunger study, 1 in 5 households in Minnesota are food insecure. Here at Catholic Charities, we’ve seen that need firsthand. Our food shelf has seen a dramatic rise in the number of shoppers — including many families who have never needed help before. The cost of food is higher than ever, and families are forced to make tough decisions between buying groceries and paying for rent, gas, or medications. What We’re Doing At Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf, we offer more than just food — we offer choice, dignity, and hope. Our shoppers are able to select the food that fits their family’s dietary, cultural, and health needs. We provide a respectful, welcoming experience and access to nutritious foods, including fresh produce, meat, and dairy. In 2024, we distributed over 2.7 million pounds of food through our food shelf, mobile outreach, and emergency food bag programs — but we can’t do it alone. How You Can Help This July, your support means more than ever. Every donation made to our food shelf during the Summer Challenge will be matched through the Open Your Heart Summer Challenge, stretching your gift further to help feed families in Central Minnesota. ➡️ Donate Today: Click here to give now Thank you for being part of this mission of compassion and community. Want to learn more about our Food Shelf and other food programs? Visit ccstcloud.org/food-services To learn more about the statewide Summer Challenge, visit oyh.org/summer-challenge

The Kickball Miracle

June 26, 2025
A Lesson in Trust, Patience, and Unexpected Joy

How Catholic Charities Helped Kenneth

By Brittany Hoversten • June 17, 2025
When life feels overwhelming, finding the right support can make all the difference. That is exactly what happened for Kenneth, a 30-year-old father who found himself facing several impossible choices. With overdue bills, rent payments, and the pressure of providing for his children, Kenneth was struggling to keep his family afloat. On top of that, he needed his children’s birth certificates to register them for Catholic Charities' Toys for Tots program, so they could have presents for Christmas.  Though Kenneth had never used the Food Shelf before, he was introduced to our services by a Financial Assistance Program Coordinator, who showed him how utilizing the Food Shelf could ease some of the financial strain. The ability to save money on groceries would allow him to prioritize other needs, like utilities and rent. Our Financial Assistance program assisted Kenneth with obtaining his children's birth certificates and provided him with a cart full of groceries for his family. Additionally, we provided Kenneth with a list of community resources to help him continue moving forward. This assistance gave Kenneth and his family a renewed sense of hope. With a little help from our team, Kenneth felt a weight lift as he began to “dig out” of his financial struggles. The ability to provide his children with meals, secure the birth certificates needed for their Christmas gifts, and access other helpful resources helped him regain some stability during a tough time. Kenneth’s story is a powerful reminder that our work extends far beyond providing food. It is about offering hope, relief, and the tools needed to help individuals and families navigate challenges. Whether it is a grocery cart full of food, helping with essential paperwork, or connecting people to the broader network of resources, every bit of support contributes to making our neighbors’ lives better. We are honored to provide this kind of support to families like Kenneth’s. It is the generosity of our community that allows us to continue serving those who need it most. Whether through food donations, financial gifts, or volunteer time, the contributions we receive leave a lasting impact on our neighbors' lives.