MINNESOTA—As food insecurity rises and funding for food shelves declines across the state, Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless has launched its 16th Annual Summer Challenge, a vital grant initiative providing matching funds to participating Minnesota food shelves throughout July. With inflation, high food prices, and a drop in seasonal donations straining emergency food systems, this support is more crucial than ever. Among those participating in the 16th Annual Summer Challenge for Open Your Heart is Friends in Need Food Shelf, serving the residents of Cottage Grove, St. Paul Park, Newport and Grey Cloud Island.
Friends in Need Food Shelf Director Jill Hughes said the food shelf receives a partial match for each donation made. Readers who find themselves able to can send money to the food shelf’s mailing address as well as give online via Paypal. The mailing address for donations to Friends in Needs is:

Friends in Need Food Shelf
P.O. Box 6
Cottage Grove, MN 55016

The web address for Friends In Need is www.finfood.org, with donations under the “Get Involved” tab.

The need remains timely.
According to Second Harvest Heartland’s 2024 Hunger Study, one in five Minnesota households now struggles to afford enough food, including more than a quarter of households with children. The need is especially acute in Greater Minnesota, where one in four households reports food insecurity. Yet, many food shelves are seeing a decline in funding even as their client numbers continue to surge.
Open Your Heart’s Summer Challenge meets this moment by helping food shelves amplify their local fundraising with matching grants ranging from $150 to $4,000. Last year alone, participating food shelves throughout Minnesota raised nearly $3 million in local dollars during the Challenge month—making it one of the most impactful funding initiatives of its kind in the state.
“We’re seeing more shoppers than ever before—many for the first time,” said Susan Oddsen of La Crescent Food Shelf, a 2024 Summer Challenge participant. “This funding helps us keep our shelves stocked with healthy options at a time when every dollar counts.” Executive Director Jessica Mathias emphasized the life-saving importance of the Challenge: “Across Minnesota, small food shelves—many volunteer-run—are holding communities together under immense pressure. Our Summer Challenge is about more than funding; it’s about ensuring dignity, access, and hope for neighbors who need it most.”
To view the list of 2025 Summer Challenge participants or to get involved, visit oyh.org/summer-challenge.

About Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
Since 1986, Open Your Heart has strategically invested millions to fight hunger and homelessness in Minnesota. Focused on infrastructure and capacity-building, the organization equips food shelves across all 87 counties to distribute fresh, nutritious food to Minnesotans facing hardship. Learn more at www.oyh.org.