We’re hearing from a lot of folks who enjoy our Meals From The Heart Veggies And Rice as both a main dish or as a side dish. Looking for ways to stretch your grocery budget certainly doesn’t need to limit your creativity in the kitchen. Here’s a great example of kitchen creativity at work!

This isn’t new news, but it certainly bears repeating. An April 18, 2020, StarTribune news article reported that “Demand at many of the 350 food shelves in Minnesota, where every school and thousands of businesses have been shuttered, is double or triple normal levels, with many being first-time users.” That was reported nearly two weeks ago, and it hasn’t gotten any better.

At Meals From The Heart, our mission is to build relationships and strengthen communities while packing and providing flavorful, fortified meals to local food shelves. These days, we are able to work with a small crew to pack meals, but we’d rather be packing meals with our partners. However, we’re grateful for the opportunity to help any way we can. Last weekend Meals From The Heart volunteers and staff helped North Heights Lutheran Church and Ruby’s Pantry distribute food boxes to 350 families. Each box contained our popular Veggies and Rice and Alfredo Primavera meals.

With the help of much-needed and appreciated donations, Meals From The Heart teamed up with Open Hands Midway, Inc. to provide 5,000 meals for St. Paul Midway residents. Meals From The Heart provides millions of meals each year to local food shelves through meal-packing events. However, since normal meal-packing events are on hold during the health crisis, we are seeking donations and are working with a small group of staff and volunteers to pack and deliver meals safely. We hope to secure the donations to provide 300,000 meals to help keep local food shelves and organizations like Open Hands Midway, Inc. stocked with healthy, good-tasting meals. Thanks to our generous donors for helping us help our neighbors get through these tough times.

Demand at local food shelves is skyrocketing during the current health crisis. A local company, Heritage Exteriors & Restoration, that provides Minnesota with roofing, siding, and gutter solutions, is now expanding its services to helping keep local food shelves stocked in Central Minnesota. Based in Spicer, Minnesota, owners Jason Quade and Keith Palmquist, like the rest of the world, have never experienced anything like what we’re all going through now. 

One of the most significant things that set Meals From The Heart apart from other meal-packing organizations is, of course, our food. Since our meals go directly to local food shelves, then to dining tables throughout our community, we’ve spent considerable time, with the help of a chef, developing recipes that taste great. We know we succeeded when both our food shelf partners and their customers frequently request more of our meals!