Mobile Loaves Twin Cities

Friends of the Hungry.

Every week, 52 weeks a year, a group of passionate and dedicated volunteers gather at Knox Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. We prepare meals and supplies (gloves, socks, toothpaste, shampoo, etc.) all to be loaded on a food truck.  We deliver to hungry community members all over the metro area and provide assistance to those in need but also work to empower communities into a lifestyle of service.  

We serve children and adults living in poverty some of whom are homeless. Our goal for 2024 is to serve over 50,000 meals or about 4,200 a month on average. We also provide toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, soap and hand lotion., and in the winter, warm socks and gloves. We serve locations in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Richfield, and Bloomington.  

Here are just a few of the lives your donation helps us touch.  

• Larry suffers from mental illness and is homeless in downtown Minneapolis.  He comes to our truck for a warm meal.  Larry told us, “People don’t even see me on the street as I ask for help.  They walk on by as if I’m not there.  But you talk to me like I’m a real person.  God bless you.”  You provide Larry dignity along with a warm dinner, socks and gloves.
•  Mary is a 25-30 year old homeless woman who lives near Lake Street.  Her bike is her primary possession.  We give her extra shampoo, toothpaste and other toiletries.   The gas station is her bathroom.   You provide Mary with warm meals, socks and toiletries which saves her money that she needs to survive. 
• On Friday nights we go to north Minneapolis where young boys are playing basketball.   They know we are coming and are mighty hungry.   We also give them cool hats and warm coat and gloves.  You help keep kids going in the right direction and out of trouble.

COVID 19 CHANGES 

Prior to Covid, a team of volunteers loaded up the truck with food, hygiene products and necessities like socks and winter hats, and went to specific sites to serve individuals that need it the most. This was a wonderful time to engage in conversation, show them that we care about them and listen to their stories. It’s really about the connections we make with the individuals.

During the pandemic, the face to face serving stopped and we shifted to dropping off bagged meals at specific sites and the site would disperse the meals to the people. Currently, we have a hybrid model where the site decides what model is best for them. Mobile Loaves Twin Cities goes to 15 sites per month around the Minneapolis metro area. Some of the sites we visit are day shelters, homeless shelters, senior apartments, youth development centers and affordable housing. We feel we are a critical resource in the community.

We are a motivated group of volunteers comprised primarily of parishioners from St. Joan of Arc Parish and Knox Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. We have no paid staff.  Every dime goes to support our work. Our amazing volunteers work every day to feed the hungry. We also rely on the generous donations of our fellow community members and local business. 

Our budget for 2024 is $150,000. This does not include the generous donations of food and supplies from our volunteers, stakeholders, parishioners and community partners. We spend almost all of our limited cash on food and a marginal amount on other supplies, truck maintenance, insurance, etc.

This year, for Give to the Max Day, Mobile Loaves Twin Cities is focused on raising money to fund the nourishment/food part of our ministry. Since donations have decreased and the cost of food has risen drastically, our budget doesn’t allow for this. Your contribution to Mobile Loaves Twin Cities will help us offset rising food costs and nourish more neighbors in need. Please consider a donation to help us continue to be able to provide the same assistance to those in need during these challenging times.

Our neighbors in need are counting on us to help them with a warm meal, toiletries, and warm socks and mittens in the winter. Please donate to MLTC and join us, as a friend of the hungry.