Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless
At Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless, a local nonprofit organization, the belief is every Minnesotan should be free from hunger and homelessness. To that end, they provide financial and technical support to homeless shelters, food shelves, and domestic violence shelters throughout the state.
To support their overall goals in the community, they are offering $60,000 in matching funds to Minneapolis College over the next two years for donations made to the College’s Open Your Heart Scholarship Fund.
“This is a dollar-for-dollar match so the donor is essentially doubling their donation,” said Alison Sherman, corporate and foundation grants officer at Minneapolis College who notes people interested in donating to this fund can visit: minneapolis.edu/donate-now and designate Open Your Heart in the comment section.”
“The Open Your Heart Scholarship Fund at Minneapolis College supports students who are currently experiencing homelessness or students who have faced homelessness within the past two years. Funds can be used for educational or living expenses, covering the essential things students deem necessary to ensure they do not have to interrupt their studies due to unforeseen financial hardships,” said Sherman.
The Open Your Heart scholarship fund supports Minneapolis College students in need who are registered for a minimum of nine credits and have a minimum GPA of 2.5. The program is particularly critical for students enrolled through Transformation and Re-entry Through Education and Community (TREC). TREC is a partnership between Minneapolis College and Metro State University focused on offering degree programs at three state correctional facilities: Stillwater, Lino Lakes, and Faribault. The TREC partnership offers an associate degree track through Minneapolis College and a bachelor’s degree track through Metropolitan State University.
“The Open Your Heart scholarship plays a critical role in ensuring that our students, many of whom face significant personal and financial challenges, can access the education they deserve,” said Heidi Aldes, Dean of Enrollment Management at Minneapolis College. “The scholarship opens doors to opportunity giving students the chance to succeed against all odds. Without scholarships like this, students may not have the ability to complete their education and reach their goals.”
“At the Open Your Heart Foundation, we believe in the transformative power of education and the importance of providing a stable foundation for our future leaders,” said Jessica Mathias, executive director of Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless.” The Open Your Heart scholarship fund is dedicated to offering scholarships to students who are currently homeless or have experienced homelessness in the past two years. These scholarships aim to cover essential basic needs expenses, ensuring that these resilient students can focus on their education and personal growth without the burden of financial insecurity.”
Mathias noted, “supporting students is not just an investment in their future, but in the future of our entire community. By providing them with the resources they need to succeed, we are empowering them to break the cycle of homelessness, achieve their academic goals, and build a brighter, more stable future for themselves and their families. In partnership with Minneapolis College, these scholarships will help bridge the gap, giving students in need a fair chance to succeed and contribute meaningfully to society.”
The Open Your Heart Foundation has been a generous partner to Minneapolis College since 2018, providing scholarships to students in need. Minneapolis College awards more than half a million dollars in scholarships each year. These scholarships can be based on financial need, academic interest, volunteer experience, or other activities.
Visit the scholarship page for details on both Minneapolis College scholarships and other external opportunities for funding.