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Minnesota Central Kitchen is now Kitchen Coalition!


Minnesota Central Kitchen has rebranded
as Kitchen Coalition (a program of Second Harvest Heartland)

Keep reading to learn about this initiative and how the Campus Club supports University of Minnesota students and others in our community through our partnership with Kitchen Coalition.


Originally called Minnesota Central Kitchen, this meals program launched in March 2020 as a crisis inspired initiative to rescue food from going to waste, re-employ furloughed restaurant workers, and get urgently needed meals to a growing community of people facing hunger. The power is in the partnerships, with everyone contributing their talents, operations and food to make things better for the entire community.

As they’ve grown, they wanted a name that captured the entire partner network (there isn't one central kitchen) and wasn’t constrained by geographies. A name was needed that embodied the collective spirit to do things differently to fight hunger. The program became Kitchen Coalition in January 2023. 

Kitchen Coalition serves up culturally connected, freshly prepared meals and a whole new way to fight hunger. They know that not everyone facing hunger has the home, health, or ability to use the groceries offered by food bank. So, Kitchen Coalition has built a network of local restaurants and caterers who turn food bank ingredients into nutritious, freshly prepared meals. Then, trusted nonprofits get those meals to neighbors on a predictable schedule.


Kitchen Coalition: Ensuring every neighbor has a meal that’s right for them


Our amazing Campus Club kitchen staff have been busy since November of 2020 helping reduce hunger on campus and in the local community. Partnerships with Swipe Out Hunger, Nutritious U Pantry, Boynton Health and the Second Harvest Heartland program Kitchen Coalition, formerly known as MN Central Kitchen, have made it possible for the Campus Club to join in this mission to fight hunger.


Campus Club Kitchen Highlights

Our kitchen prepares more than 2,000 meals each week for this program!

Since we started this effort, our kitchen alone has prepared:
Over 44,300 meals just for UMN students experiencing food insecurity.
Over 171,500 meals for the local community in total.


Kitchen Coalition Highlights

They harness the power of their food bank network to source meal ingredients.
60% of the ingredients their restaurant and caterers use come from Second Harvest Heartland.

They invest in local restaurants and caterers.
80+ culinary workers are employed at 15+ partner kitchens.

They listen to what our neighbors want.
50% of Kitchen Coalition meals are made by BIPOC-led or owned restaurants and caterers.

They distribute meals to our community.
25,000 meals are distributed every week with 75+ distribution partners.


You can help too!

Your Campus Club Membership makes this program possible.
Click here to join the Campus Club or click here to upgrade your membership.

Click here to donate directly to Kitchen Coalition.



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