Demand Climbing at Moorhead's Dorothy Day Food Pantry, Record Highs Reached Statewide
By Adam Chalifoux
MOORHEAD, Minn. – It’s 11:00 a.m., and the line outside the Dorothy Day Food Pantry in downtown Moorhead is already growing into the parking lot.
Food distribution does not begin for another hour
Inside the pantry, Churches United staff and volunteers are preparing for another busy afternoon. Three times a week, this long-standing community resource opens its doors at 1308 Main Ave to help offset food insecurity experienced by a growing number of neighbors in the metro.
Individuals and families who visit this free pantry shop shelves, fridges, and freezers stocked with meat, bread, soups, cereal, rice, canned vegetables, and more.
By the time distribution ends, over 100 local households will leave with food to help fill their own fridges and cupboards. According to Minnesota Compass, 16% of Moorhead households from 2020 to 2024 fell below the poverty line. That's 1 out of every 6.25 households.
The demand for the services that Dorothy Day Food Pantry provides has been sharply climbing in recent years. The pantry is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 12 to 3 p.m. and every Wednesday from 3 to 6 p.m.
The rising number of visitors to this local pantry is part of a much larger trend. In Minnesota, pantry visits have seen record highs year-over-year for four straight years, according to a 2025 study by The Food Group.
This June, over 3,000 people received food from the Dorothy Day Food Pantry, and, in total, Churches United's food pantry distributed nearly 50,000 pounds of food that month. The organization has also seen an increase in new shoppers at the pantry, with 120 first-time visitors in May and 137 first-time visitors in June.
Statewide, Minnesotans made over 9 million visits to food pantries last year, according to The Food Group; this mark is five times higher than it was in 2004.
Despite these record-breaking trends, the community’s support for Churches United has helped to keep shelves filled and families fed.
Donations come in many shapes and sizes; some come by the truckload from big businesses and local organizations, and others are carried inside by community members in individual grocery bags.
Every pound matters and makes an impact on our mission to provide nutritious food to our neighbors.
The movement to eradicate food insecurity in Moorhead is driven by a simple concept: neighbors feeding neighbors. Donations drive change, feed families, and help to provide a road to healing for those who need a little help.
For years, Moorhead has been showing up to help address this spike in food insecurity by donating money so Dorothy Day Food Panty can purchase staple foods, organizing food drives, volunteering in a myriad of ways, and hosting fundraisers to empower Churches United's work.
If you are interested in setting up a food drive to help fill Churches United's food pantry, please reach out to Advancement Director Stephanie Ressler at stephanier@churches-united.org. Anyone looking for more ways to get involved can visit the webpage at https://www.churches-united.org/.
About Us:
Churches United was founded in 1987 in the heart of downtown Moorhead. Churches United operates Micah’s Mission, which provides emergency shelter and a community day center that serves over 500 meals every day across breakfast, lunch and dinner; Dorothy Day Food Pantry, a standalone food pantry in downtown Moorhead; and Bright Sky Apartments for individuals and families and Silver Lining Apartments for seniors, both permanent supportive housing apartments in north Moorhead for people who have experienced homelessness.