Open Your Heart – Summer Challenge

15TH ANNUAL SUMMER CHALLENGE TO HELP FOOD SHELVES MEET INCREASED NEED

St. Paul, MN - Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless and Hunger Solutions, now a part of The Food Group are excited to announce the launch of the 15th annual Open Your Heart Summer Challenge grant. This grant opportunity provides participating food shelves in Minnesota with a matched grant proportional to the food shelves' fundraising activities throughout the month of July.

The persistent economic difficulties brought on by the pandemic and rising inflation have led to a continued dependence on food shelves for many households to fulfill their nutritional requirements. In 2023, the need for resources from food shelves surged significantly as further aid programs came to an end and food costs climbed. Consequently, food shelves are increasingly counting on the assistance from organizations like Open Your Heart to aid individuals facing hunger challenges. This funding helps raise awareness of hunger and helps food shelves raise additional funding during slower summer months when donations are down to continue meeting the needs of their local communities. The Challenge Grant presents a matching fund opportunity for food shelves, allowing them to maximize their local fundraising efforts in July. The distribution of funds from this grant is based on the total funds raised by each participating food shelf in July and the number of food shelves involved, with grants ranging from a minimum of $150 to a maximum of $4,000.

By leveraging the Open Your Heart Summer Challenge grant, food shelves across Minnesota typically raise over $1 million in local fundraising in the month of July. In the previous year, 117 food shelves across Minnesota took advantage of this grant, collectively raising more than $2.9 million in local contributions. The financial support from Open Your Heart has yielded an almost 20-times return on investment for the local food shelves.

About Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
Since 1986, Open Your Heart has targeted millions of dollars to strategically fight hunger in Minnesota. Understanding that those who benefit from food shelves, primarily children, need more fresh produce and other nutritious food, OYH focuses on investing in infrastructure to allow food shelves throughout the state to regularly stock and distribute fresh and frozen foods. For more information visit www.oyh.org.

About The Food Group
The Food Group is a local food equity nonprofit. For nearly 50 years they have worked to provide nutritious foods to those who need it most in our community. They work at the intersection of food access, equity, and nutrition to fight hunger in Minnesota. Their programs work across the food system and include hunger relief, affordable grocery (Twin Cities Mobile Market and Fare For All), advocacy, and Big River Farms. Hunger Solutions recently joined forces and became a part of The Food Group. Hunger Solutions takes action to assure food security for all Minnesotans by supporting programs and agencies that provide food to those in need, advancing sound public policy, building grassroots advocacy, and informing and educating critical stakeholders about the status of hunger in Minnesota. www.thefoodgroupmn.org and https://hungersolutions.org