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Meet a few of our grantees that provide food-related services to the East Metro.

It’s officially fall, and with cooler months comes harvest. At the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, that means highlighting community organizations that ensure our neighbors have access to fresh, healthy and nutritious food.

Some organizations grow farm fresh produce. Others make sure all stomachs and homes are full of healthy meals and food. As you think about your fall meal planning or are considering what organizations to support, check out the list of nonprofits we’ve supported that are making sure Minnesotans’ mouths are fed.

Culturally Specific Agriculture Organizations

Dream of Wild Health: Dream of Wild Health aims to restore health and wellbeing in the Native community by recovering knowledge of and access to healthy Indigenous foods, medicines and lifeways.

This organization plays a unique role in local agricultural communities by providing access to healthy Indigenous produce to all, regardless of income. These food programs include the Indigenous Food Share CSA, farmers markets and food donations.

Frogtown Farm: Frogtown Farm is a 13-acre urban demonstration farm and recreation area created in partnership by Trust for Public Land, the City of Saint Paul and the Wilder Foundation.

As part of their Workshare Program, members have access to a portion of the weekly harvest by trading produce for their time maintaining the farm’s efforts, be it as a gardener, artist, event planner or organizer.

Hmong American Farmers Association: The Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) is a collective of small-scale community family farmers growing unique, high-quality fresh produce. HAFA uses the medium of farming to empower its community by integrating skills that lead to community wealth building.

During the fall, HAFA runs a CSA as well as a Thanksgiving vegetable share. The organization also wholesales produce to various schools, restaurants and grocery stores in the Twin Cities, including Mississippi Market Co-op, Birchwood Café and Saint Paul Public Schools.

The Good Acre: The Good Acre is a multi-faceted initiative established to improve the local food system by strengthening farmers, food makers and community through healthy food.

This organization offers a variety of food shares and CSA options. They also offer volunteer opportunities in the spring, summer and fall.

Hunger Relief Organizations

Hunger Solutions: Hunger Solutions works with both the state and federal government to advance programs that tackle hunger on a large scale. The organization works to ensure food security for all Minnesotans by supporting programs and agencies that distribute food to those in need, and works to advance public policy and advocacy.

Want to get involved? Join Hunger Solutions in the fight to end hunger by choosing to be an advocate or donate to the cause.

Keystone Community Services: Keystone Community Services provides food services or crisis support to young people, family and seniors. Those ways include food shelves, a foodmobile and a free farmer’s market.

Keystone accepts food donations for various food shelves in Ramsey County in addition to their foodmobile, which travels throughout Saint Paul and the northern suburbs carrying nutritious food to people in need.

Loaves and Fishes: Loaves and Fishes serves free, healthy meals to Minnesotans in need. It offers a variety of meal programs to more than 90 outlets, including student meals and snacks, free produce markets, street outreach and public dining. Loaves and Fishes also grows fresh produce on its local farm.

Volunteer opportunities at Loaves and Fishes range from serving a meal to tending the field.

Metro Meals on Wheels: Metro Meals on Wheels is a community-based service that provides fresh, nutritious meals delivered directly to the homes of seniors and individuals with disabilities throughout the Twin Cities.

This organization does not accept food, but does appreciate volunteers willing to deliver or prepare nutritious meals. If you’re interested in doing more, you can also donate.

Valley Outreach: Valley Outreach is a community-based organization in Stillwater that provides basic needs services and support to individuals of all ages. Their programs include a food shelf and client support services.

Valley Outreach accepts non-perishable, unopened food items all year long, as well as fresh garden produce during the summer and fall months.

With these and other nonprofit organizations working on eliminating hunger in our community, you can find ways to donate your time or your funds to ensure all Minnesotans have access to healthy, locally grown, nutritious meals.

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