OPEN YOUR HEART TO THE HUNGRY

July 16, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Trina Dietz
Communications Coordinator
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud
320.650.1644
Trina.Dietz@ccstcloud.org

Catholic Charities and Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless Announce Annual Food Shelf Challenge Grant

Catholic Charities Emergency Services and Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless announce the Eighth Annual Food Shelf Challenge Grant. Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless will proportionally match donations to Emergency Services during the month of July, up to $4,000. The more funds Catholic Charities raises in July for Emergency Services, the larger the matching grant from Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless will be.

Donations can be made at www.Ccstcloud.org, click on “donate.”

Gifts will be matched by the grant, and then will be magnified with Catholic Charities food buying power. A $10 gift usually buys $30 worth of groceries, but because of the match, donations are stretched even further.

Minnesota summers were made for trips to the cabin, boat rides on the lake, and farmers market outings, not food shelf visits. But that is the reality for thousands of Minnesotans. Children are home from school and the family budget is tight. Catholic Charities Emergency Services helps provide nutritious fruits and vegetables to these families and needs your help this summer. Donations given in July will be proportionally matched by Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless to help end hunger in the St. Cloud area.

Food shelves in Minnesota help individuals, families, and seniors get the nutritious food they need but cannot afford to purchase on their own. Summer is especially stressful for both families with children and the food shelves that serve them. When kids are home for the summer, they are missing out on school meals and food shelves help fill that gap.

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Catholic Charities is a nonprofit organization that advances the charitable and social mission of the Diocese of St. Cloud. It builds communities, promotes family life, and enhances human dignity by providing quality services to meet the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of individuals and families of all faiths and beliefs.

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