Food drive profile: Food pantry guest knows both sides of hunger
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Your donations to The Salvation Army’s Meals 4 Minnesota Food Drive help people like Kristi, a St. Paul woman who knows hunger both as a receiver of food shelf services, and also as a donor and volunteer.
Kristi is a lifelong Minnesota resident who spent 23 years working for the Metropolitan Council in St. Paul. The 68-year-old is married, with two grown sons who have master’s degrees.
She has been coming to the food pantry at the West 7th Salvation Army in St. Paul, off and on, for eight years whenever money is tight.
“This is an amazing place,” Kristi said. “I feel blessed and appreciative of anything I get.”
She is a resourceful cook, turning any food she receives into a delicious meal.
“If I receive a can of diced tomatoes, I can throw that in with some pasta – because pasta doesn’t always just have to be spaghetti,” she said. “You can use different foods to be creative and make your own dishes.”
Kristi is a giving person, through and through. She lives in a local senior residence and often brings food back to her neighbors who lack mobility and don’t have enough food to eat. She also brings food to people experiencing homelessness, and occasionally she volunteers at the West 7th Salvation Army.
“If you’re not out here and around people who are homeless or who have issues, you have no idea how important this food really is,” she said. “It’s very easy to become homeless. It can happen to anybody.”
She is grateful to people who donate.
“Anything anybody can contribute makes a difference – no matter how small,” she said. “It all adds up.”
She is also thankful for local grocery stores that donate perishable foods that they can no longer sell but are still safe to eat – called “rescued food.”
“We never get to tell these stores how appreciative we are,” she added. “Thank you so much for all you donate. That food matters.”
How to Help
Please support The Salvation Army’s Annual Food Drive by donating nonperishables, hosting a food drive, giving a cash donation, volunteering, or rounding up at Cub grocery stores. Your generosity will fill the stomachs of Minnesotans hungry for help.
Donate food in the Twin Cities by dropping off nonperishables such as pasta, peanut butter, and canned goods Feb. 27–March 27 at your local Salvation Army or at these partner locations:
You can also bring donations to Warners’ Stellian in St. Paul (1711 Snelling Ave. N.) on Friday, March 27 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. This special event will feature Minnesota Vikings legend John Randle and Staci from KS95, with free donuts from Funner Brothers bakery.
Donate food in greater Minnesota by dropping off nonperishable foods Feb. 27–March 27 at your local Salvation Army Worship and Service Center.
Donate online: Help us feed local families by giving online. Your donation will be used to purchase food for Salvation Army food pantries nearest to your billing ZIP code. Now through March 27, your gift will have twice the impact for hungry Minnesota families thanks to a $100,000 challenge match given by a local family foundation to encourage others to give.
Round up at Cub: Shop at local Cub grocery stores in March and round up your purchase to support our food drive. Any amount you give will have a big impact when combined with other Cub shoppers who choose to contribute.
Host a food drive: Collect nonperishable foods from friends, neighbors, coworkers, church members, and others. Drop off the food you collect at your local Salvation Army or our partner locations. Download a Food Drive toolkit.
Volunteer: Do you have time to spare? Support our food drive by helping us unload delivery vehicles, weigh food, stock shelves, and more. Sign up to volunteer.
To learn more about The Salvation Army's Annual Food Drive, please visit Meals4MN.org.