Food drive profile: Donations help man stay housed, maintain sobriety
Your donations to The Salvation Army’s Annual Food Drive in March help Minnesotans like Nathan – a St. Paul man who is celebrating 10 years of sobriety.
Nathan’s struggle began when doctors prescribed him painkillers after he underwent surgery on his appendix. He inadvertently became addicted to the opioids and later turned to heroin.
Nathan’s addiction destroyed his life and tarnished his permanent record. Eventually, he hit rock bottom and checked into a rehab facility for opioid addicts.
“There were 52 people living in the rehab house with me, and the only two people still alive today are me and another guy,” Nathan said.
An average of 224 people die every day from opioid addiction in America, with opioids accounting for about 76 percent of all drug overdose deaths.
Thankfully, Nathan beat his opioid addiction and was able to rebuild his life. But he has been struggling to make ends meet ever since he lost his job managing a local pizza restaurant. Although he has been working odd jobs to pay his rent, he has had trouble finding another full-time job because of his past record.
During this transition, Nathan has been visiting his local Salvation Army food pantry to save the money he needs to pay for housing.
“The Salvation Army is the only way I’ve been able to get any steady food coming into my house,” Nathan said.
The Salvation Army operates 25 food pantries in Minnesota that – when combined with our local hot meal programs – provide an average of 8,100 daily meals for people like Nathan.
Stocking these food programs during The Salvation Army’s Annual Food Drive is critically important, as about 1 in 5 Minnesota families now rely on food shelves to make ends meet. Additionally, a new study revealed that Minnesotans made nearly 9 million visits to food shelves in 2024 – shattering the all-time record of 7.5 million visits set in 2023.
Thanks to the support of Salvation Army donors like you, the food Nathan receives allows him to spend his money on housing to avoid homelessness.
“Being in recovery, The Salvation Army is one of the reasons I’ve been able to stay clean,” he said. “This place is more important than I can possibly explain.”
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. 28–March 22 at our Twin Cities partner locations below.
You can also bring food to the KARE 11 news studio, 8811 Olson Mem Hwy in Golden Valley, during a special weigh-in event on Wednesday, March 26 from 3–6 p.m. Throughout March, KARE 11 personalities will gather donations through their “Food Fight” food drive to support The Salvation Army. (Download a grocery list of high-demand and culturally-specific foods.)
Donate food in greater Minnesota by dropping off nonperishable foods Feb. 28–March 31 at your local Salvation Army Worship & 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.
Round up at Cub: Shop at local Cub grocery stores in March and round your purchase up to support our food drive. Whether you give one penny or 99 cents, your small gift 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 our partner locations or at KARE 11 (8811 Olson Mem Hwy, Golden Valley) during their special event on Wednesday, March 26, from 3–6 p.m. (Read about successful grassroots food drives from previous years.)
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.