The Open Door

A fresh approach to ending local hunger.

We believe that everyone deserves access to healthy food. The Open Door is Dakota County’s largest hunger relief organization, powered by neighbors helping neighbors. We make sure everyone who needs it has access to the freshest, healthiest food – delivered with dignity and care.

Each month, we serve 25,000 people across Dakota County, and in 2025, we distributed more than 5.2 million pounds of food. We focus solely on fresh, perishable, and nourishing options, with over 75% of the food we distribute being fresh.

The Open Door continues to step up and get food into the hands of those who need it when they need it. Clients are able to access healthy food choices at 70 different sites across Dakota County including a fixed-site food pantry in Eagan, multiple Mobile Food sites, and the Mobile Lunchbox program during the summer. Your financial gift to The Open Door directly supports people across Dakota County by helping us secure and distribute fresh, healthy food 5 days/week. 

Please give today and help us raise the $1,000,000 needed to end the year strong during the government shutdown and pause on SNAP benefits, along with being positioned to do even more in 2027!

YOUR DONATIONS AT WORK

• $100.00 provides two weeks of groceries for three families. 
• $50.00 provides 10 lunches for students who rely on our Mobile Lunchbox during the summer
• $15.00 provides a family with an Emergency Food Support bag containing pantry staples, fresh produce, protein, milk, and eggs (retail value approximately $61)

THE OPEN DOOR'S IMPACT

• The Open Door recently increased food access points at its fixed-site pantry from 500 available appointments a month to 600+ a month - a 20% increase!
• The Open Door distributed 5.2 million pounds of food in 2025, the highest amount ever.
• The Open Door is growing and expanding our footprint.
• The Mobile Lunchbox program provided 25,000 meals to students across six school districts in the summer of 2026. Meals were delivered in high-need Dakota County neighborhoods where the absence of daily school lunch was hitting the hardest.

  Contribute today! Your gift helps The Open Door continue to be a reliable source of fresh and healthy food.

The Open Door is a 501(c)3 organization. Your donation is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.