A trumpet, a can of beans, and a big idea.
Harvest Pack began with one small act of kindness on a sidewalk in Belize, and grew into millions of healthy meals on tables across America and around the world.
It started in San Ignacio
One evening in the small town of San Ignacio, Belize, our founder William McNally came across a man playing his trumpet under a dimly lit streetlight. Talking together, William learned the man hadn't eaten all day. He offered the little cash in his pocket as thanks for the music.
From down the street, William watched the man stop at a humble vendor and buy a can of beans, a loaf of bread, and a roll of toilet paper. That simple act of kindness followed William home to Minnesota, first into volunteering at local food shelves, and in 2012, into founding Harvest Pack.
This story is an invitation: embrace the spirit of compassion and lend a helping hand to those in need, regardless of background or circumstance.
Hunger is the world's #1 health risk
In 2023, approximately 47 million Americans suffered from food insecurity, including more than 1 in 5 children. Worldwide, over 250 million people struggled with acute food insecurity. Hunger spills over into housing, safety, education, mental health, and every other part of life.
Volunteer-powered
We support volunteers in bringing Harvest Pack Events to their own communities, then donate the meals to established nonprofit partners who get them to food-insecure neighbors.
Schools & backpack programs
Food insecurity hits children hardest. We partner with school counselors and backpack programs to put food on every student's table.
U.S. focus, worldwide heart
Our primary fight is hunger in the U.S., and we proudly support global needs through select partners in the Philippines, Haiti, Honduras, and Ukraine.
So, what's in it?
We started with research from food scientists to create meals that are nutritionally rich, with carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins that are easily digestible, plus all nine essential amino acids for complete nutrition. Just add boiling water.
- Local: fortified instant oatmeal. The most nutrient-rich oatmeal we could formulate: soy and GMO-free, flavorful, in bright pouches of 8 servings, donated to food shelves and pantries where it's packed.
- International: rice pilaf. Six servings of vitamin-packed, protein-rich pilaf per pouch, mixed to taste with local spices around the world.
- For everyone. Every meal is nut-free, vegan, Kosher, and Halal.
Make a difference, locally & globally. Within a single day.
Where the meals go is up to the volunteers who pack them. Most stay close to home, and the rest travel to trusted partners around the world.
- Partners choose exactly which organizations receive their food
- Local meals reach food shelves, school backpack programs, and senior deliveries
- International partners in the Philippines, Haiti, Honduras, and Ukraine
Over a decade of full tables
- 2025: 3,250,241 healthy meals packed across 24 states, our third straight year over 3 million.
- 2023: Record-breaking year: 3,252,287 healthy meals packed by 16,403 volunteers, our most ever.
- 2022: 73 organizations and 10,708 volunteers; ~71% of meals stayed local across 12 states. 100% of partners said they'd pack with us again.
- 2019: 50 events across 12 states; 8,849 volunteers; 1.4 million meals; zero-waste education added to every event.
- 2018: High school scholarship and elementary leadership programs launched.
- 2017: #5MillionIn5: five million meals distributed in our first five years.
- 2012: Harvest Pack founded in Minneapolis.
Good for tables. Good for the planet.
A sustainable future is a more just and equitable one. As we celebrate over a decade of service, we keep advancing environmental stewardship alongside food relief, turning each event's waste into something that gives back.
Nothing wasted
Surplus ingredients that can't be used for meals are donated to SoulSpace Farm Sanctuary, where they nourish the sanctuary's beloved residents.
Plastics, recycled
Plastic wrap, bin liners, and gloves from our Hunger Projects are collected and transformed into deck planking and sturdy park benches.
Fresh produce for all
At select events volunteers receive tomato seeds to grow at home, with ripe tomatoes donated to local food shelves for the people who need them most.
The people behind the packing tables
A dozen staff across the country, from Minneapolis to Spokane to Columbia, SC, guided by a six-member volunteer Board of Directors.
William McNally
William's passion for community, hunger issues, and his background in logistics led him to found Harvest Pack. His mission is to ensure fair distribution of food globally and locally, driven by facts and his hands-on experiences. William has lived and worked in Mexico, traveled to Belize to support education and livelihoods, and visited rural areas in the Philippines, Native American reservations, and food shelves in the U.S., learning firsthand about food assistance. He holds a Bachelor's in Business Management from Bushnell University, a pilot's license, and serves in his local Rotary. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor sports, including pickle-ball.
Heather Swanson
Heather was born and raised in northern Minnesota and has over two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector. She spent 11 years at Youth Encounter as Director of International Teams and Food Packaging before joining Harvest Pack. Her passion for building relationships, promoting peace and justice, and serving those in need has been deeply influenced by her travels in India, West Africa, Papua New Guinea, and South America. As Events Director, Heather thrives on helping companies, schools, and community or faith-based groups create meaningful volunteer experiences that combat food insecurity. She holds a BA in Music and French Education from St. Olaf College and enjoys traveling, outdoor adventures, and making music with her family.
Brad Fleming
Brad brings years of non-profit meal packaging experience to Harvest Pack, a passion he discovered while organizing a hunger project at his church in South Carolina. With a blend of operational and business development skills, he strives to make a tangible impact "on both sides of the funnel," from corporate team building to strengthening church and community connections. Brad holds a BBA in Business Management from Eastern Kentucky University and lives in Columbia, SC, with his wife, Dana. He finds great joy in creating fun, meaningful volunteer experiences, saying, "I've never seen a volunteer frown while packaging meals!"
Allie Wichman
Allie joined Harvest Pack in December 2022, driven by a passion for fighting food insecurity and ensuring everyone has access to healthy meals. With a background in educational administration, she thrives on working with people and loves the energy of coordinating meal-packing events. Outside of work, you'll find her at the dog park with her four-legged companions, making memories. Her dedication, enthusiasm, and love for the community make her an invaluable part of the Harvest Pack team!
Lauren Siefer
Lauren recently made the move with her family from Los Angeles to Minnesota and is loving small-town life! Originally from Sioux Falls, SD, Lauren grew up active in community service, mentorship, and outreach through school and church. She moved to LA after graduating with a Communications degree from Augustana University. Her career as a Creative Executive and Event Producer with The Price is Right and years of experience partnering with nonprofits made the move to Harvest Pack an exciting and inspiring opportunity. The common thread throughout her varied career has always been feeding people, especially on Bacon Friday, a weekly holiday she created to celebrate the end of the work week. She believes in the healing power of food and fellowship and is a Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor. Lauren lives in Northfield with her children Jack and Samantha, and her pets Willow and Zelda.
Aaliyah Ratliff
Aaliyah joined Harvest Pack as an Event Leader in January 2025. With Aaliyah's background in event management and digital marketing from Concordia University St. Paul, she aims to make an impact on Harvest Pack's mission through hands-on event leadership and digital outreach. Aaliyah enjoys using her passion for creativity and leadership to strengthen the individuals and community around her.
Griffin Thompson
Griffin joined the Harvest Pack team in May 2024 to make a positive impact in the world by helping put food on everyone's table. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Griffin went to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities with a focus on Environmental Communication. The environment is something that he is very passionate about, and he makes conscious efforts to reduce negative impacts both inside the warehouse and at home. During Griffin's time at UMN, he gained valuable years of experience in shipping and receiving, alongside many other warehouse operation responsibilities, through a student job at the Reuse Program warehouse. In his time off he enjoys exploring nature, taking care of his cat Nimbus, and above all else spending time with friends and family.
Chris Craven
Chris is a graduate of Clemson University with a Master's degree in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. Chris brings 18 years of nonprofit experience to Harvest Pack, including 10 years in meal packaging. His background includes working with corporations, government leaders, foundations, and a wide range of community partners. He enjoys building new partnerships and is equally comfortable working independently or leading teams. Chris is excited about Harvest Pack and the opportunity to help feed people in need both locally and internationally. He currently resides in Colorado, and outside of work he enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, hiking, walking his four dogs, visiting breweries, and biking.
Pete Elzey
Pete joined Harvest Pack in November 2025, bringing over 25 years of educational leadership experience, culminating as a District Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. A Gonzaga University alumnus with a Master's in Educational Leadership, he now directs his passion for building strong communities toward Harvest Pack's mission of addressing food insecurity. Pete and his wife, Patti, live in Spokane. His personal goal is to help put food on every table that needs it. In his free time, he enjoys mountain biking, gardening, skiing, and working on his golf game.
Peter Hommes
Peter grew up in St. Paul, MN and still calls it home. After completing undergraduate, he lived in Humacao, Puerto Rico for 10 months of teaching English, practicing Spanish, and finding the most amazing beaches imaginable. Arriving back home, he was ecstatic about the opportunity to join the Harvest Pack team. His goal as an event leader is to support people in learning that they are more capable than they think of creating positive change on issues that are meaningful to them. Peter's favorite pastimes include book club meetings, going for walks, and finding productive ways to be creative.
Kira Loomer
Kira recently joined Harvest Pack as a part-time event leader, motivated by the organization's mission to put healthy food on every table. Kira's favorite part of the work is connecting with new people while working towards a common goal. Kira grew up in Southeastern Wisconsin and went on to receive her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Minnesota. She works full time as a pediatric ICU nurse in the Twin Cities. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and snuggling with her dog Flory.
Dominic Michienzi
Dominic came to Harvest Pack in September of 2025 after 31 years in the print industry. He decided he wanted to help make a difference helping those in need. He has a bachelor's degree in Graphic Arts Management from The University of Wisconsin Stout. He loves to do anything outdoors, including walking his dogs, hunting, and fishing. In the winter you can find him at an outdoor rink or watching the Minnesota Wild.
Volunteer leadership
Doug Rude
Doug is a founding board member of Harvest Pack. His eagerness to jump in and accomplish any task is inspiring to all ages as he organizes events at schools and corporations, and his commitment to improving the lives of others is unparalleled. Before joining Harvest Pack, Doug worked for over 30 years at 3M as a locksmith. Before 3M, Doug started a successful locksmith company and is a leader in the industry on current innovations. Doug spends his free time traveling to his cabin in Northern Minnesota and tear-drop camping with his wife Sandy and dog Oden.
Tanya Beckwith
Tanya brings her 30+ years of experience and leadership in new product and business development to Harvest Pack. Currently, she is an Application Engineer in the Consumer Business Group responsible for new product and business development at 3M, a 31 billion-dollar global company. Tanya holds her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and her MBA from the University of St. Thomas. She spends her free time gardening and reading, and enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband, Steve, and two daughters, Maija and Kate.
Enrique Barrera
Enrique joined Harvest Pack in 2017 as a board member. Enrique speaks fluent Spanish and is well-versed in negotiations, planning and development, and relationship management. He has a strong passion for building relationships with others and thrives in environments promoting growth and innovation. Enrique currently manages rental operations for RHOME, an Associa Company, located in Minneapolis. Before working with RHOME/Associa, he held positions with other property management companies in the Twin Cities metro. Enrique is committed to healthy living and his community. For fun, he enjoys spending time with his two kids, hiking the Minnesota state parks, coaching youth soccer, and finding new and fun places to enjoy a good meal.
Athanas Mcha
Athanas, born and raised in Tanzania, joined Harvest Pack in early 2019. Working as a public accountant in St. Paul, he is on track to becoming a fully licensed CPA. Before working with Lethert Skwira Schultz, Athanas was a franchise manager with College Pro Painters, where he acquired managerial, financial, and leadership skills. He also worked as a volunteer with Building Africa for three years, where he and his team promoted and empowered women from underprivileged communities to start and run their own businesses. His passion for lending a helping hand led him to Harvest Pack, where he continues to strive to help his community. For leisure, Athanas enjoys reading, traveling, and playing basketball. "Let's promote healthy living with healthy meals."
Merry Grande, MPH
Merry officially joined the Harvest Pack team in 2017, with a focus on funding development and bringing a public health perspective to Harvest Pack's work with healthy food, equity, and community building. In 2023 she transitioned to serving on the Board and is particularly interested in the health equity aspect of this humanitarian work as it relates to children and education. Merry earned her MPH in Public Health Practice from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a BA in Biology from St. Olaf College, Minnesota. In addition to her work with Harvest Pack, Merry is actively involved with the Minnesota Public Health Association and enjoys vegetarian cooking, sports, and travel with her two children and husband.
Samantha Juneau
Samantha is a seasoned attorney with the City of St. Paul, where she plays a vital role in supporting the community through her legal expertise. With eight years of connection to Harvest Pack, Samantha has been an invaluable part of the organization's mission to fight hunger and promote community engagement. She has served on the board of directors for five years, where her passion for giving back and advancing social good is evident. Beyond her work with Harvest Pack, Samantha has traveled to Belize multiple times to assist in building schools, furthering her dedication to making a positive impact on a global scale. As a devoted wife and mother of two, Samantha brings a deep sense of compassion and commitment to her roles both at home and in the community, continually striving to make the world a better place for future generations.
Be part of the story
From a sidewalk in Belize to 20 million people served, the next chapter is packed by people like you.
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