How to Support Second Harvest Heartland Beyond Donating

Second Harvest Heartland (2harvest.org) is a Minnesota- and Wisconsin-based hunger relief agency, and its own site describes three ongoing lines of work: sourcing and distributing food, advocating for effective policies and programs, and investing in new ways to end hunger. That structure is the clearest guide to how you can help without giving money. You can volunteer time, bring your employer into a cause-marketing or corporate partnership, add your voice to policy advocacy, or spread the word during campaigns like Hunger Action Month. Which route fits you depends on whether you can offer hours, organizational reach, or public attention.

Volunteer your time

The organization states that it works "together" every day to source and distribute food efficiently, and its site features a volunteer (Darlene) describing collective effort as the difference-maker. Volunteering is the most direct non-cash contribution because food distribution depends on people.

Before signing up, decide what you can commit:

• One-time or recurring shifts — better for individuals and small groups testing the fit.
• Group volunteering — suited to workplaces, faith groups, and clubs that want a shared activity.
• Skills-based help — useful if you have logistics, data, or communications experience, since the site emphasizes distributing food efficiently.

To start, go to 2harvest.org and look for the volunteer section in the main navigation. Expect to create an account, pick a location and shift, and receive confirmation details. A common snag is that popular shifts fill quickly, especially around holidays — check back or choose a weekday slot.

Corporate partnerships and cause marketing

The site names Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union as a "Cause Marketing Partner," with the partner explaining: "We support Second Harvest because they ensure families can focus on the bigger things they want out of life." That is a concrete example of the corporate route: a business aligns its brand with the mission and, in doing so, extends the organization's reach.

If you work somewhere that could partner, the practical steps are:

1. Identify what your organization can offer — employee volunteer days, a percentage of sales, matching gifts, or sponsored events.
2. Contact the organization through the partnership or corporate giving channel listed on 2harvest.org.
3. Agree on what the partnership funds or supports, and how it will be described publicly.

This path suits companies with customer-facing brands or large employee bases. It is less useful for individuals, who are better served by volunteering or advocacy.

Policy advocacy

Second Harvest Heartland explicitly lists advocating "for effective policies and programs" as part of its daily work. Hunger relief at this scale depends on programs like SNAP, so advocacy is a lever individuals can pull without donating.

Ways to participate:

• Follow the organization's advocacy updates and respond when it calls for public comments or legislator contact.
• Learn the programs — the site connects people to SNAP application help through its Care Center, which gives you firsthand context when speaking to policymakers.
• Speak from experience — if you have used food assistance, your perspective carries weight in public comment periods.

This route fits people who can write, call, or show up to meetings. It requires less time than regular volunteering but more persistence.

Community awareness and Hunger Action Month

The site runs a "HUNGER ACTION MONTH 2× MATCH" campaign, noting that "when budgets get tight, food is often the first to get cut" and that every $1 given by 9/30 can double in impact. Even if you are not donating, campaigns like this are designed to be shared — the match structure exists to motivate giving, and spreading it is a form of support.

Practical ways to raise awareness:

• Share campaign messages and the food-finding helpline (866-844-3663) with people who may need it.
• Tell your network about the Care Center, which offers free help finding food and applying for SNAP.
• Use the organization's own framing — "hunger is a solvable problem" — when talking to friends, colleagues, or local groups.

This is the lowest-commitment option and works well for people with limited time but active social or community networks.

Choosing your route

If you are unsure, start by calling the Care Center at 866-844-3663 or browsing 2harvest.org — the site's "We Can Help" and "Support Our Mission" sections separate what the organization offers from what it needs, which makes it easy to match your capacity to a real need.