Minneapolis Church Delivers 12K Food Boxes in Six Weeks

A Minneapolis church turned into a full-scale food distribution center when Pastor Sergio Amezcua noticed families in his community were too scared to buy groceries. In just six weeks, Iglesia Dios Habla Hoy has delivered 12,000 boxes of food to families across the Twin Cities.

The effort started in mid-December when Amezcua saw his congregation facing a crisis. "They're afraid to go out. They're not going to work. And some of them are starving," he told KARE 11 News.

Within 48 hours of posting a Facebook invitation for free grocery delivery, the church had packed hundreds of boxes. Two thousand families signed up for help that first weekend alone.

The response kept growing. Today, 400 volunteers gather at the church three times a week to pack 1,300 boxes each day. As of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, 24,000 families have registered for assistance.

The church buys food through donation networks like Second Harvest Heartland and The Food Group. Community members have supported the effort with monetary donations, allowing the operation to scale rapidly.

Local officials have joined the effort too. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara sends community service officers to help with distribution. The mayor's office has offered support.

"It looks like they're responding to a hurricane catastrophe," Amezcua said of the volunteer operation. The boxes go to anyone who needs them, regardless of immigration status or citizenship.

The Ripple Effect

What started as one pastor's response to his congregation has become a citywide movement. The church welcomes new volunteers every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 5728 Cedar Avenue South. Each volunteer goes through security protocol before packing goods alongside hundreds of others.

The effort shows what communities can accomplish when neighbors support neighbors. Amezcua credits local authorities, donation networks, and thousands of volunteers for making the operation sustainable.

"We're doing it by the grace of God and by the help of thousands of volunteers that we have in our network," Amezcua told MPR News. The church plans to continue deliveries as long as families need support.

The outpouring proves that compassion can meet crisis head-on. "You are not alone," the church shared in its December post. "We are praying for you and your household."

Those interested in volunteering can visit the church on distribution days, and donations are accepted through the church's website.