Dumpsters Were Never a Solution

Something was beginning to capture Chris Kolstad’s attention. The Minnesota Pizza Man shop owner started to notice an immense number of people digging through the restaurant's dumpster. The event was not unknown to Chris, as he had observed a couple of instances beforehand. However, once the diving became more frequent, he knew that something had to be done.

On July 29, 2025, Chris announced a public plea. “Please do not eat out of our dumpsters,” Kolstad wrote, “Nobody deserves that. If you are desperate for food, please come ask.” This selfless act caught the attention of a few people across society. Various businesses and food places offered their assistance, including local food truck Nozy’s Grill. Swayed by the message of the viral post, Chris released a donation link shortly after. By August 3, 2025, Chris had raised $3000 for his cause. By September, Chris had increased the total price to $4000.

One of the beneficiaries of these donations was Southern Anoka Community Assistance, or SACA for short. It is a non-profit food shelf based in the Columbia Heights neighborhood. Saca has been supporting the Northeast Minneapolis community for just under fifty years. Since 2020, statistics from the organization have shown there is a 52% increase in the number of people they aid. They broke a personal record this year by serving 68,106 people and 26,107 families. 35% of that total are children, and they are only predicting that number to rise in the years that follow.

Kolstad has admitted to helping about a hundred people since that initial post back in July. He is adamant about being thankful that he, himself, has never faced the effects of food insecurity. “That is why we do what we do,” said a post he published after receiving a handwritten thank you from a large family.

Kolstad never knew that his destiny was to advance the lives of so many in his community. What started as a small, kind favor spiraled into a full-blown duty. Kolstad is an example of how baby actions can have substantial reactions. In the end, every human is a human, and everyone deserves sturdy support to grow upon.