Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless is a Minneapolis-based public charity that funds Minnesota organizations serving people experiencing food and housing insecurity. Its grantmaking supports crisis-service providers with equipment, facilities, and other resources to help them serve people in need, with preference for services to people currently unhoused—in shelters or on the street.
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless at a glance
In short: Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless gave $346K across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $11K), mostly in Minnesota. 61% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $345,997
- -2.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- -8.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $11,161
- +6.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $7,000
- Total assets
- $559,146
- -14.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (19 of 31, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
- How to Apply
-
The organization’s website describes an application process for its Community Impact Grant. Agencies must primarily serve Minnesotans facing food and housing insecurity, meet its tax-exempt eligibility requirements, and submit closure materials for prior awards before reapplying. It lists eligible activities including facility enhancements, outreach, and educational support.
- Review Cycle
- The listed 2025 application deadlines—February 28, May 30, and August 29—are past. A grant page also lists February 27 and August 28 application dates; those dates are past as of October 2, 2026.
- Deadline
- The listed 2025 application deadlines—February 28, May 30, and August 29—are past.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2909 S Wayzata Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55405
Phone: (612) 338-5577
Website: https://oyh.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
Community Garden Planning Grant
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
Amount
Up to $3,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Education Grants / Student Scholarship
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Hunger and Homeless Grants
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Who Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Food Group ($100K). Together the top 10 received $208K.
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 155 grants of 160 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s grantmaking is focused on Minnesota. The 2024 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to Minnesota recipients. The organization reported that 36% of the 73 organizations it supported in 2024 served Greater Minnesota; 61% of the 153 food shelves participating in its Summer Challenge were located there.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 31 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 16% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+12%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $308K (2019) to $368K (2022). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $346K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Food Group St. Paul, MN | For Oyh's Summer Challenge Matching Grant Program. | $100,000 |
| Minneapolis College Minneapolis, MN | Funding toward the oyh scholarship provided to minneapolis college who are currently homeless or have experienced homelessness within the past two years. | $30,000 |
| Alexandra House Inc Blaine, MN | Funding to Support Linus' Pet Haven. | $10,000 |
| Hope 4 Youth Coon Rapids, MN | Funding to provide housing assistance dollars to youth, specifically pass-through dollars for youth who do not qualify for fhpap housing funds and need assistance obtaining housing stability. | $10,000 |
| My Neighbor to Love Coalition Nisswa, MN | Funding to offer discounts on rent or utilities when formerly homeless residents contribute their time and efforts in serving others. | $10,000 |
| St Anne's Place - People Serving People Minneapolis, MN | Accumulated costs we have incurred, from hotel stays, repairs, security, counseling and other supports. | $10,000 |
| Wildflyer Coffee Minneapolis, MN | Funding in support of the stablizing futures project, which will provide both accessible basic needs resources and intentional stability stipends for youth experiencing homelessness. | $10,000 |
| Ruth's House of Hope Faribault, MN | Funding to Replace Carpeting and Beds. | $9,811 |
| Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul St. Paul, MN | A functioning freezer would allow us to store food safely to distribute to families in need. Replacing the freezer would ensure that we have adequate food supplies on hand. | $9,195 |
| Community Bridge Minneapolis, MN | Toward a refrigerator/freezer, new shelving, and storage equipment to be able to provide fresh and healthy food to clients. | $9,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $559,146 | $662,555 | $768,653 | $345,997 | 31 | $4,505 |
| 2023 | $651,583 | $759,577 | $783,407 | $355,169 | 34 | $5,173 |
| 2022 | $676,340 | $711,921 | $805,535 | $367,621 | 35 | $833 |
| 2021 | $767,674 | $772,058 | $705,090 | $309,058 | 28 | $596 |
| 2020 | $705,281 | $847,377 | $760,005 | $350,845 | 32 | $383 |
| 2019 | $612,774 | $688,949 | $712,180 | $308,013 | 28 | $345 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission is to help ensure every Minnesotan is free from hunger and homelessness. It says it works toward this by partnering with organizations serving people in need, growing donor engagement, and raising awareness, with food, shelter, and safety as its central concerns.
Its Community Impact Grant, formerly called the Hunger and Homeless Grant, supports Minnesota agencies whose primary function is serving people facing food and housing insecurity. Eligible projects can include facility improvements, equipment, outreach, and activities that remove barriers to education for homeless youth. The organization also describes a Summer Challenge supporting food shelves during summer, special projects, and emergency support for service disruptions. Its website says agencies may apply for one Community Impact Grant per year and must submit grant closures for prior awards before reapplying.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work involved. Minneapolis Community & Technical College Foundation says it addresses affordability and access to higher education through scholarships and initiatives that support students. People Serving People Charities says it supports People Serving People, whose programs serve families at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County. Wildflyer Coffee says it provides youth with paid employment and development skills to help them leave homelessness and thrive in independent work. Hope 4 Youth says its mission is to provide pathways to end youth homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the filing lists 31 grants totaling $345,997. Awards ranged from $5,304 to $100,000, with a median of $7,000. Separately, the organization reported supporting 73 organizations across its 2024 activities, including its scholarship, Summer Challenge, and emergency-shelter initiatives.
The largest listed 2024 grant was $100,000 to The Food Group for the Summer Challenge matching grant program. Other notable awards included $30,000 to Minneapolis College for scholarships for students who were homeless or had experienced homelessness within the prior two years; $10,000 to Hope 4 Youth for housing assistance for youth who did not qualify for specified housing funds; and $10,000 to Wildflyer Coffee for a project providing basic-needs resources and stability stipends to youth experiencing homelessness. The filing also lists $10,000 to Alexandra House for Linus’ Pet Haven and $9,195 to Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul for a freezer to store food for distribution.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jessica Mathias as executive director; Sabrina Yates as president; Matt Traynor as vice president; Roger Henry as treasurer; and Deanna Eckholm as secretary. It also lists Jennifer Sheda, Nicole Bailey, Katie Barret Kramer, Mary Bjork, and Donald Gault as directors.
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless is led by Jessica Mathias, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 1 of 15 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jessica Mathias
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$92K (2021) → $111K (2024)
Sabrina Yates
President
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Hartmann
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Sheda
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donald Gault
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Barret Kramer
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Bjork
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Shepard
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Miriam Steuart
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Bailey
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rahfat Hussain
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Gould
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roger Henry
Treasurer
Treasurer → Director, 2022
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deanna Eckholm
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Traynor
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (20)
- Former: Derek Holt (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Jodi Schoh (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Abbie Hugunin (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Angela Bellmont (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Sabrina Spangler (2019–2022) — Vice President
- Former: David Crabb (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Grace Yonushonis (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Tammy Peterson (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Amy Olson (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Eugene Bryskin (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Jessica Bigirindavyi (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Kathleen Kimble (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Paul Peters (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Susan Christian (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: John Fritz (2020) — Director
- Former: Jake Peterson (2019) — Vice President
- Former: Jessica Koenig (2019) — Director
- Former: Katherine Vo (2019) — Director
- Former: Lynn Mykytyn (2019) — Director
- Former: Susan Milnar (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $111K, to Jessica Mathias (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
How much does Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless give each year?
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless gave $346K across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $355K across 34 grants.
What is Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless's typical grant size?
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless's median grant in 2024 was $7,000, and its average grant was $11,161, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless that year got $12K on average.
Where does Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless give grants?
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless gives mostly in Minnesota: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (8 grants), St. Paul, MN (3 grants), Nisswa, MN (2 grants) and Blaine, MN (2 grants).
Does Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless's largest grantees?
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless's largest 2024 grantees include The Food Group ($100,000), Minneapolis College ($30,000) and Alexandra House Inc ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless?
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless reported $559K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $663K.
What does Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless fund?
The organization’s mission is to help ensure every Minnesotan is free from hunger and homelessness. It says it works toward this by partnering with organizations serving people in need, growing donor engagement, and raising awareness, with food, shelter, and safety as its central concerns. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless?
The organization’s website describes an application process for its Community Impact Grant. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless's EIN?
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3488089. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 29, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/open-your-heart-to-the-hungry-and-homeless-morg_553c7d6e36cc46ca997ff51bb68b52f2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363488089_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/open-your-heart-to-the-hungry-and-homeless-morg_553c7d6e36cc46ca997ff51bb68b52f2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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