HSM Open Your Heart Grants Update

We are excited to be in the application process for the 2008 HSM Open Your Heart Grants. This Friday, June 20th, will be the deadline to apply for the HSM Open Your Heart Summer Food program grants. These grants—totaling $60,000—are to assist in the increased need seen over the summer months due to children being home from school. Half of the grants will be awarded in the first week of July. The remaining grants will be issued in mid-August.

In addition, this year we have two new Open Your Heart Grant Programs. The first is a $20,000 fund to provide to food shelves facing a pressing emergency, due either to an increase in need or a sudden decrease in resources. These grants will be provided on an as needed basis until funding runs out. The first evaluation of Emergency Grant needs will be in the first week in July. Open Your Heart has also provided $25,000 for culturally appropriate or special needs foods. These needs can range from an influx of an ethnic group into your community whose needs are not covered by your typical donations, as well as any other demographic whose special dietary needs are beyond the foods normally supplied to your food shelf. Like the Emergency Grants, these grants will be provided on an as needed basis until the funds are depleted. If you have any questions, please contact James Redmond at (651) 789-9840 or by email at jredmond@hungersolutions.org..