Second Harvest Heartland is the second-largest food bank in the United States and Minnesota's primary hunger-relief organization. In 2025 it distributed a record 166 million pounds of food, which it counts as about 145 million meals, through 373 local food shelves and nonprofit partners across Minnesota and into western Wisconsin. From its Brooklyn Park headquarters it operates at a scale few food banks match. Sarah Moberg was named permanent CEO in 2025, after serving as interim leader following Allison O'Toole's departure.
Second Harvest Heartland sources food at enormous scale and distributes it through 373 food shelves and nonprofit partners across Minnesota and into western Wisconsin. At more than 166 million pounds in 2025, it is one of the two largest food banks in the country by volume. Beyond moving food, it has invested in food-as-medicine programs, partnering with health systems to get nutritious food to patients, and in benefits outreach, reflecting a strategy aimed at the causes of hunger.
Sarah Moberg was named permanent CEO in September 2025, after stepping in as interim leader when Allison O’Toole departed in June 2025. Moberg spent 25 years at General Mills before joining Second Harvest Heartland in 2021 as chief operating officer, giving her deep supply-chain experience well suited to running an operation of this scale.
Second Harvest Heartland serves Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin, anchored by the Twin Cities metro and reaching across the state. The Twin Cities combine prosperity with significant disparities, and rural Minnesota faces the familiar problem of distance from food. The food bank’s 2020 move to a much larger Brooklyn Park headquarters expanded the capacity behind its record distribution.
Yes. Second Harvest Heartland is a registered 501(c)(3) and a Feeding America member, and one of the two largest food banks in the country. Donors can review its financials through Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Its scale gives donations enormous reach.
Donations and volunteer shifts run through 2harvest.org. The food bank runs a large volunteer operation, and cash gifts go furthest because of its scale and purchasing power.
Second Harvest Heartland is the dominant hunger-relief organization in Minnesota and one of the largest in the country. It works alongside the Salvation Army’s Northern Division and other groups on the broader safety net. For anyone in Minnesota, it is the lead food bank to support.
373 food shelves and nonprofits across MN and western WI.
Partnerships with health systems to get food to patients.
Help connecting residents to SNAP and other support.
Targeted distributions for the most vulnerable groups.
Sources: Second Harvest Heartland website (2harvest.org), ProPublica (EIN 23-7417654), and Star Tribune and Hometown Source reporting on the appointment of Sarah Moberg. We are not affiliated with Second Harvest Heartland and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
More Minnesota and food-bank resources