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HelpByState

Stearns County, Minnesota

Free help in Stearns County, Minnesota

Find a food pantry open this week
Free help from local charities, food banks, and state and federal programs. Free to use, no sign-up. Every listing shows the day we checked it.

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Real help, from real placesFood banks, charities, churches, and state and federal programs near you.
Checked for youEach listing shows the day we checked it, so you do not drive to a closed door.

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23confirmed listings
11towns covered
13food pantries and meal programs
October 9last checked

This week

Food this week in Stearns County

Pick a day to see which pantries are open and when. Times come from each pantry's confirmed schedule. Tap Call to reach them.

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What is close to you

Tap a numbered circle to zoom in. Pins are for orientation only: trust the address on each card.

BENTONDOUGLASKANDIYOHIMEEKERMORRISONPOPESHERBURNETODDWRIGHT STEARNS COUNTY Lake Koronis St. CloudSt. AugustaRockvilleWaite ParkSartellSt. JosephSauk CentreSt. Stephen
Minnesota
23 places

    Some safety programs do not share an address, so they are not on the map. They are listed under Safety below.

    Food pantries and meals13

    Albany

    Albany Food Shelf

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Call for hours
    Address
    741 Lake Ave., Albany, MN 56307

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Brooten

    BBE Area Food Shelf

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Wednesday 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
    Address
    111 North Pleasant Ave, Brooten, MN 56312

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    St. Cloud

    Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Monday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Tuesday 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM. Wednesday 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
    Address
    157 Roosevelt Rd Suite 100, St. Cloud, MN 56301

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Kimball

    Kimball Area Food Shelf, Inc.

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Tuesday 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Thursday 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Saturday 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
    Address
    441 Hazel Ave. E St.Anne's Church, Kimball, MN 55353

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Paynesville

    Paynesville Community Service Center

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Tuesday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Wednesday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Thursday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Friday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Saturday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
    Address
    110 Lake Ave, Paynesville, MN 56362

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Sauk Centre

    Community Connection Sauk Centre Food Shelf

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Wednesday 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Thursday 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
    Address
    523 Sinclair Lewis Ave, Sauk Centre, MN 56378

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Melrose

    Melrose Area Food Shelf

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Wednesday 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
    Address
    255 Country Club Rd SW, Melrose, MN 56352

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Avon

    Avon Food Shelf, Inc

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Tuesday 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Wednesday 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Thursday 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM
    Address
    212 1st Street SW Door 8, Avon, MN 56310

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Cold Spring

    ROCORI Area Food Shelf

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Monday 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM. Tuesday 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
    Address
    217 Main St, Cold Spring, MN 56320

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Saint Cloud

    East African Dream Inc.

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Wednesday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
    Address
    30 25th Ave S, Saint Cloud, MN 56301

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    St. Cloud

    St Cloud Fare for All: Atonement

    Food pantry, a The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) partner.

    Hours
    Thursday 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM
    Address
    1144 29th Ave N
, St. Cloud, MN 56303

    Call first. No phone is listed for this site. For questions, call the The Food Group (Minnesota Food Helpline) at 888-711-1151.

    Countywide

    Second Harvest Heartland (call to find a pantry near you)

    Second Harvest Heartland serves Stearns County through local partner pantries but does not publish a public list of them. Call and they will tell you the nearest pantry and when it is open.

    Hours
    Please call for hours
    Address
    7101 Winnetka Avenue N., Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

    Call first. Call to find the nearest pantry and its hours.

    Housing4

    Cold Spring

    Stearns County Hra

    Public housing apartments and Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) for low-income families, older adults and people with disabilities.

    Hours
    Please call for hours
    Address
    401 Westwind Ct, Cold Spring, MN 56320

    Call first. Office hours are not published. Call to ask about openings and the waiting list.

    Melrose

    Hra of City of Melrose

    Public housing (low-rent apartments) for low-income families, older adults and people with disabilities.

    Hours
    Please call for hours
    Address
    16 W 1st St S, Melrose, MN 56352

    Call first. Office hours are not published. Call to ask about openings and the waiting list.

    Sauk Centre

    HRA of SAUK CENTRE

    Public housing (low-rent apartments) for low-income families, older adults and people with disabilities.

    Hours
    Please call for hours
    Address
    407 1st St N, Sauk Centre, MN 56378

    Call first. Office hours are not published. Call to ask about openings and the waiting list.

    St. Cloud

    HRA of ST. CLOUD

    Public housing apartments and Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) for low-income families, older adults and people with disabilities.

    Hours
    Please call for hours
    Address
    1225 W Saint Germain St, St. Cloud, MN 56301

    Call first. Office hours are not published. Call to ask about openings and the waiting list.

    Recovery and mental health help2

    Statewide

    988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

    Call or text 988 to reach a trained crisis counselor any time, for a mental health crisis, thoughts of suicide or a substance use crisis. It is free and confidential. Veterans can press 1.

    Hours
    24 hours a day, 7 days a week

    Veterans services2

    Statewide

    Veterans Crisis Line

    Dial 988, then press 1. Or text 838255, or chat at veteranscrisisline.net. Free and confidential. You do not need to be enrolled in VA health care.

    Hours
    Open 24 hours a day, every day
    Statewide

    VA national phone lines

    VA benefits: 800-827-1000. VA health benefits: 877-222-8387. Homeless veterans, open 24 hours: 877-424-3838. MyVA411, the main VA line, open 24 hours: 800-698-2411.

    Hours
    Benefits line, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Eastern

    Safety and crisis help1

    Statewide

    National Domestic Violence Hotline

    Free, confidential help for anyone hurt or threatened by a partner or family member: safety planning, shelter referrals and someone to talk to. Call 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat at TheHotline.org. In an emergency, call 911.

    Hours
    24 hours a day, 7 days a week

    How HelpByState works

    Checked, dated and corrected by neighbors

    1. 1

      Matched to the source

      A listing goes up only after its phone and its address or hours match the organization's own page, or an official list.

    2. 2

      Dated on every card

      Each card shows the day we checked it. If sources disagree, we say call first instead of guessing.

    3. 3

      Fixed by the community

      See something wrong, or know a place we missed? Send it in. Nothing changes until we have checked it.

    Neighbors helping neighbors

    Help is closer than you think in Stearns County

    A volunteer hands a bag of fresh groceries to a mother holding her daughter's hand
    Free groceriesFood banks and pantries give food to anyone who needs it.
    A helper smiles as she helps an older man fill out a form
    Someone to help you applyState offices and local programs help with food stamps, bills and more.
    Kids laughing together over a free meal with a grandmother at a community center
    Meals and care for kidsFree meals, clinics and family programs, close to home.

    Questions people ask

    Where can I get free food in Stearns County, Minnesota?

    We have confirmed 13 places that can help in Stearns County: Albany Food Shelf (Call for hours), call first; BBE Area Food Shelf in Brooten (Wednesday 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM), call first; Catholic Charities Emergency Services Food Shelf in St. Cloud (Monday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Tuesday 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM), call first. 10 more are listed on this page. Please call first to confirm the ones marked call first. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Where can I get housing help in Stearns County, Minnesota?

    We have confirmed 4 places that can help in Stearns County: Stearns County Hra in Cold Spring, (320) 685-7771, call first; Hra of City of Melrose, (320) 256-4600, call first; HRA of SAUK CENTRE in Sauk Centre, (320) 352-2311, call first. 1 more is listed on this page. Please call first to confirm the ones marked call first. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Where can I get help with addiction or mental health in Stearns County, Minnesota?

    We have confirmed 2 places that can help in Stearns County: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), 988; SAMHSA National Helpline (Open 24 hours a day, every day), (800) 662-4357. If you are in crisis right now, call or text 988. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Where can I get help with veterans benefits in Stearns County, Minnesota?

    We have confirmed 2 places that can help in Stearns County: Veterans Crisis Line (Open 24 hours a day, every day), 988; VA national phone lines (Benefits line, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM Eastern), (800) 827-1000. A veteran in crisis can call 988 and press 1, or text 838255.

    Where can I get free legal help in Stearns County, Minnesota?

    We have confirmed one place that can help in Stearns County: Central Minnesota Legal Services, (612) 334-5970. Please call first to confirm. You can also dial 2-1-1 to talk to a person.

    Is HelpByState free to use?

    Yes. There is nothing to sign up for and nothing to pay. Every listing is free, and so is adding or correcting one.

    Why do some listings say call first?

    Church and community pantries often change days, move, or close for a holiday. When the sources we checked disagree, or an organization does not publish its hours, we say so instead of guessing. A quick call saves a trip.

    I run a pantry or a program. How do I get listed or fix our hours?

    Use the Add a listing or Suggest an update form. We confirm it against your own page or contact you, then change the listing. It is free.

    Is this the same as 2-1-1?

    No. 2-1-1 is a statewide phone line and database run by the state network. HelpByState is an independent, county-by-county directory that shows the date each listing was checked. If you want to talk to a person, dial 2-1-1.

    Where do the hours and phone numbers come from?

    From each organization's own website or page, official sources such as housing authority and WIC clinic lists, and the public Find Food map of the local food bank. We list the source on every card.

    Something missing, or out of date?

    If you run a pantry or program, or you saw a listing that is wrong, tell us. We check every message against the organization's own page before anything changes.