How to lend a helping hand to charities during the COVID-19 crisis

In particular food shelves and pantries are struggling to keep up with an increased demand for services and fewer volunteers.

March 19, 2020 at 11:20PM
Megan Struxness of Minneapolis a volunteer , gathers loaves of bread at Second Harvest . Staff and volunteers at Second Harvest Heartland, the state's largest food bank, will be busy filling emergency food kits in response to the coronavirus next week at its warehouse in Brooklyn Park. The kits contain an 8-day supply of food, including such items as rice, pasta, fruit and canned chicken. and will be provided to 10,000 impoverished families who may be particularly at risk of the virus .
Megan Struxness of Minneapolis a volunteer , gathers loaves of bread at Second Harvest . Staff and volunteers at Second Harvest Heartland, the state's largest food bank, will be busy filling emergency food kits in response to the coronavirus next week at its warehouse in Brooklyn Park. The kits contain an 8-day supply of food, including such items as rice, pasta, fruit and canned chicken. and will be provided to 10,000 impoverished families who may be particularly at risk of the virus . (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Charity organizations, particularly food shelves and pantries, are struggling to keep up with an increased demand for services and fewer volunteers. Here are places you can donate to across Minnesota.

Statewide

Red Cross, Minnesota Region

Prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies through blood and money donations. There are five locations across Minnesota.

612-871-7676

Memorial Blood Centers

Provides blood to those who need it and delivers laboratory testing services to customers around the world. There are 10 donor centers located throughout Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

888-448-3253

YMCA

Provides child care and youth services, including providing athletic facilities, holding classes and summer programs, and humanitarian work. Facilities are located throughout Minnesota.

612-230-9622

Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota

Currently seeking volunteers to help package and deliver meals to homebound older adults in Greater Minnesota. Volunteer caregivers are needed to provide telephone support and visits to some families who have loved ones with chronic care and need a break. Training is provided. Also seeking groceries and hygiene items for youth experiencing homeless serviced through the LSS Metro Homeless Youth Services in the Twin Cities. For more information: Email Rosie.Blanc@lssmn.org or call 651-470-8801.

Twin Cities metro

Meals on Wheels, Minneapolis

A meal delivery service for the elderly in the Twin Citie. Accepting volunteer drivers and cash donations by mail, phone or online.

612-623-3363

People Serving People, Minneapolis

Serves homeless and at-risk children and their families.

612-332-4500

Greater Twin Cities United Way, Minneapolis

Greater Twin Cities United Way is the largest nongovernmental funder of food shelves and meal programs in the Twin Cities region.

612-340-7400

Minnehaha Food Shelf, Minneapolis

Feeds the hungry and distributes up to 30,000 pounds of food each month.

612-721-6231

St. Stephen's Human Services, Minneapolis

Requests donations of frozen meals for emergency shelters and seeking donations of hand sanitizer, hand soap, disinfecting wipes, disposable masks, paper towels and toilet paper to be delivered to its center at 2309 Nicollet Av. Online donations also accepted.

612-874-0311

Open Arms of Minnesota, Minneapolis

A nonprofit that prepares and delivers free, nutritious meals to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, ALS, and other life-threatening illnesses in the Twin Cities.

612-872-1152

East Side Neighborhood Services

Serves older adults and food insecure populations across Hennepin County through its Senior Food Shelf, Glendale Food Shelf, and High Rise Mobile Food Shelf programs.

612-787-4111

Catholic Charities, Twin Cities

Provides shelter, food, housing, education and medical services to children and families, adults, elders and those with disabilities in the Twin Cities.

612-204-8374

Second Harvest Heartland, St. Paul and Brooklyn Park

Prepares emergency meals to assist families, partnering with nearly 1,000 food shelves, food pantries and other meal programs.

651-484-5117

Neighborhood House, St. Paul

Food, housing and education services in St. Paul, seeking volunteers and donations.

651-789-2500

The Sheridan Story, Roseville

Provides multiple food gap programs to more than 10,000 children when they aren't able to receive free and reduced meals at school across 300 locations in Minnesota.

612-568-4003

360 Communities, Burnsville

A network of food shelves in Burnsville, Rosemount, Lakeville, Apple Valley, and Farmington providing immediate food and resources to individuals and families.

952-985-5300

Help At Your Door, Golden Valley

Provides grocery shopping, transportation and home cleaning services for seniors and people with disabilities in the Twin Cities metro area.

651-642-1892

The Food Group, New Hope

Partners with food pantries to bring affordable, healthy groceries to low-income residents of the Twin Cities and surrounding areas.

763-450-3860

White Bear Area Emergency Food Shelf, White Bear Lake

Provides food and support to neighbors who live within White Bear Area School District and self-identify a need for food.

651-407-5310

Twin Cities Music Community Trust, Minneapolis

All funds donated will help those who have lost a performance due to COVID-19 and its effect on the live music industry. This includes night staff, door staff, bartenders, security, stage crews, tour managers, merchandise sellers and photographers.

Email info@twincitiesmusictrust.org

Greater Minnesota

CHUM Food Shelf, Duluth

Provides emergency shelter, food and street outreach throughout Duluth. Cash is preferred.

218-720-6521

ECHO Food Shelf, Mankato

Provides emergency food assistance to people in Blue Earth County and North Mankato.

507-345-7508

Channel One Food Shelf, Rochester

Provides food assistance to low-income individuals and families through the Channel One Food Shelf Program. Seeking cash, food and volunteers to pack emergency food boxes.

507-287-2350

Kandiyohi County Food Shelf, Willmar

Provides food to Kandiyohi County residents. Cash donations can be made online or by mail.

320-235-2641

McLeod Emergency Food Shelf, Glencoe

Provides hunger relief to residents of McLeod County.

PHONE

Buffalo Food Shelf, Buffalo

A Christian, non-profit, community-based organization supplementing food and hygiene items to those in need within the community.

763-684-1699

Ruby's Pantry, North Branch

Distributes food at Pop-Up Pantry locations across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

651-674-0009

Correction: Previous versions of this article had an incorrect web address for 360 Communities.
about the writer

about the writer

Henry Erlandson

Intern

Henry Erlandson is a senior at Northwestern University studying journalism and economics. He is a reporting intern on the Star Tribune’s digital team.

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