TopLine’s employees and members help fight hunger amid the rising demand at food shelves

TopLine Financial Credit Union’s Food Drive held during the month of March for the MN FoodShare March Campaign benefited two local non-profits, Community Emergency Assistance Programs (CEAP) and Keystone Community Services. TopLine members and employees generously donated non-perishable food items of canned vegetables, soups, rice, and dry pasta to help fight hunger in our local communities.

Employees were able to participate by donating non-perishable food items and money in exchange for a “Foundation Friday/Saturday” sticker, allowing them to wear jeans to work.   TopLine and community members could also purchase items from our Amazon Wishlist or Target Registry and have them delivered directly to TopLine, and in return we delivered to our charitable partners.   When the program ended employees and members had donated over 555 pounds of food items and nearly $775 in cash to help restock the local agencies’ food shelves. With MN FoodShare’s estimation that one meal is about 1.2 pounds of food, TopLine employees and members we were able to provide over 462 meals to our local communities.

“TopLine is dedicated to working together to strengthen our local communities and support those that need food assistance,” said Tom Smith, TopLine Financial Credit Union President and CEO. “With our generous donations from our TopLine family of members and employees, we hope to help others alleviate some stress over food insecurity, and together with other donors, our contributions add up to provide stability in lives.”

For more than 40 years, Minnesota FoodShare has coordinated the March Campaign, the largest grassroots food and fund drive that provides more than half the food distributed by 300 food shelves statewide. The March Campaign is the only statewide effort where every dollar donated goes directly to fighting hunger locally. Each year Community Emergency Assistance Programs (CEAP) and Keystone Family Services participate in the statewide food and fund drive to restock pantry shelves. For donors’ efforts, a portion of every dollar and pound of food raised is matched by Minnesota FoodShare.

Community Emergency Assistance Programs (CEAP), serving Hennepin and Anoka Counties, is a community-based, non-profit agency dedicated to providing information, referrals, advocacy and assistance to local communities. Visit www.ceap.org to learn more.

Keystone Community Services is a community-based volunteer organization in St. Paul that helps thousands of low-income individuals and families in the East Metro Area. Keystone’s mission is to strengthen the capacity of individuals and families to improve their quality of life. Visit www.keystoneservices.org to learn more.

TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota’s 11th largest, with assets of more than $769 million and serves 50,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit cooperative offers a complete line of financial services from its five branch locations – in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and in St. Paul’s Como Park – as well as by phone, mobile app and online at www.TopLinecu.com. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota and their immediate family members. Visit us on our Facebook or Instagram. To learn more about the credit union’s foundation, visit www.TopLinecu.com/Foundation.