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Second Harvest Heartland

EIN 23-7417654 · Brooklyn Park, MN

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceReports resultsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND'S MISSION IS TO END HUNGER TOGETHER. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MORE THAN 1,000 FOOD SHELVES AND HUNGER-RELIEF PROGRAMS IN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN, WE PROVIDED 145 MILLION MEALS TO NEIGHBORS LAST YEAR.

Income
$309.2 million
Spending
$300.6 million
Spent on programs
93%
Reserves
2.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 89%
Employees
352
Volunteers
16,172
Highest pay
$786,255, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 62% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    93% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 8% of charities in its peer group (food and agriculture, over $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 25 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Reports results. Its tax return states measurable results. These are its own figures and nobody has checked them.

Results it reports

  • Distributed 167 million pounds of food.Work delivered
  • Provided 1,319,935 fully prepared meals across the region.Work delivered
  • FoodRx provided nutrition support services to 14,946 individuals.Work delivered
  • Processed over 15,500 new client referrals.Work delivered
  • Assisted over 7,700 households with SNAP applications and re-certifications.Work delivered
  • Sourced 10.4 million pounds of produce from local farmers.Work delivered
  • Sourced 7.4 million pounds of dairy, including 822,871 gallons of milk.Work delivered
  • Sourced 3.1 million pounds of meat and eggs from Minnesota producers.Work delivered
  • Retail food rescue sourced 45.3 million pounds of donated food from 675 store partners.Work delivered
  • Served approximately 5,360 seniors monthly with CSFP food boxes.Work delivered

Read from the return by an AI model and shown only where the wording was found in the return. These are the charity's own figures.

Programs described in its return (4)
  1. $244.7 million spent. FOOD BANK: LAST YEAR, WE DISTRIBUTED 167 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD. AS A FOOD BANK, WE WORK WITH PARTNER PROGRAMS IN 41 COUNTIES IN MINNESOTA AND 18 COUNTIES IN WESTERN WISCONSIN TO GET FOOD TO NEIGHBORS FACING HUNGER. WE PROVIDED, ON AVERAGE, 81% OF ALL FOOD DISTRIBUTED BY OUR PARTNERS.
  2. $15.9 million spent. COMMUNITY OUTREACH: MORE THAN A FOOD BANK, WE'RE A LEADING PARTNER IN THE POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WORK TO END HUNGER, AND WE'RE AN INNOVATOR IN THE AREAS WHERE FOOD CAN BE THE SOLUTION. KITCHEN COALITION, OUR PREPARED MEALS INITIATIVE, PROVIDED 1,319,935 FULLY PREPARED MEALS ACROSS THE REGION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MORE THAN 100 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. FOODRX, OUR MEDICALLY TAILORED NUTRITION BOX PROGRAM, PROVIDED SERVICES TO SUPPORT A HEALTHY DIET AND IMPROVED HEALTH OF 14,946 INDIVIDUALS. OUR CARE CENTER TEAM PROCESSED OVER 15,500 NEW CLIENT REFERRALS AND ASSISTED OVER 7,700 HOUSEHOLDS WITH SNAP (SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM) APPLICATIONS AND RE-CERTIFICATIONS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)(CONTINUED FROM PART III)WE PROVIDED OVER $1.4 MILLION IN GRANTS TO HUNGER-RELIEF PARTNERS TO HELP MEET INCREASED NEED AND ADDRESS FOOD ACCESS CHALLENGES DUE TO RISING GROCERY PRICES, INFLATION AND OTHER ISSUES FACING MINNESOTA FAMILIES.
  3. $11.8 million spent. FOOD SOURCING: OF THE MORE THAN 167 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD WE DISTRIBUTED LAST YEAR, 64% WAS FRESH FOOD (PRODUCE [40%], MEAT, DAIRY, AND BAKERY ITEMS). WE WORK TO SOURCE LOCALLY WHENEVER POSSIBLE. LAST YEAR, WE SOURCED 10.4 MILLION POUNDS OF PRODUCE FROM LOCAL FARMERS, ALONG WITH 7.4 MILLION POUNDS OF DAIRY, INCLUDING 822,871 GALLONS OF MILK, AND 3.1 MILLION POUNDS OF MEAT AND EGGS FROM MINNESOTA PRODUCERS. ONE OF OUR LARGEST SOURCES OF FOOD COMES FROM OUR RETAIL FOOD RESCUE PROGRAM, WHICH SOURCED 45.3 MILLION POUNDS OF DONATED FOOD FROM 675 STORE PARTNERS.
  4. $6.2 million spent. COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM: THE COMMODITY SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAM (CSFP) IS ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED BY SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE PROVIDE FREE FOOD FOR SENIORS, DISTRIBUTING 30-35 POUNDS OF NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED USDA FOOD TO INDIVIDUALS EACH MONTH. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE GIVEN A BOX OF HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS FOOD, WHICH MAY INCLUDE CANNED FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND JUICES, SHELF-STABLE MILK, AMERICAN CHEESE, CANNED MEAT, PEANUT BUTTER OR DRIED BEANS, AND CEREAL, RICE OR PASTA. IN FY24, WE PROVIDED CSFP FOOD BOXES TO MORE THAN 28 UNIQUE DISTRIBUTION SITES IN 41 MINNESOTA COUNTIES, SERVING APPROXIMTELY 5,360 SENIORS MONTHLY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1974.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.