Communities across Minnesota and surrounding states saw a sharp rise in food insecurity in the years following COVID-19. Local food shelves and nonprofits have been working to meet growing demand in spaces that were never built to support the volume or variety of services they now provide. For many organizations, the strain has been significant. They operate from outdated or undersized facilities and often have little experience with capital planning or design, making it difficult to pursue funding or envision a better space.
The Foundation for Essential Needs (FFEN), a nonprofit that supports food shelf operations across Minnesota, has seen this need firsthand through the food shelves they support. A 2024 survey from Second Harvest found that 20% of Minnesota households say they cannot afford the food they need. Visits to food shelves have more than doubled statewide since 2020, including an 18.4% average jump in 2024 alone. Groups like FFEN have been on the front lines of this surge. They have also seen how facility challenges limit the ability to grow or operate efficiently.
Many nonprofit organizations begin their journeys with strong missions and limited resources. Stretching budgets to further their mission is natural and spending on facilities can be seen as taking funding away from their mission. As with many organizations, growth stresses the need for facilities to efficiently support operations and, therefore, their mission. They also often face a gap in early-phase design support. Before they can seek grants or launch capital campaigns, they need help clarifying goals and understanding the options for their space. Wold helps FFEN by providing their partners with pro bono planning, architectural and engineering expertise that allows organizations to make informed decisions about how facility changes can support their mission long before construction begins. This lays the groundwork for long-term growth and gives staff and volunteers safer, more functional and more mission-driven environments.
Wold’s involvement with FFEN began with personal connections rooted in community service. Through volunteer ties, Sitha Chhum first opened the door to collaboration. Melissa Stein also became involved thanks to her personal proximity to FFEN’s work and strong alignment with its mission to strengthen community food systems. As a result of their personal investment and dedication to FFEN’s cause, the organization recognized the value in using the firm’s expertise in space planning to better advise food shelves and nonprofits across the state. In 2023, Wold stepped in as a trusted partner and began offering pro bono services, and the relationship has continued to grow each year.
Many of these engagements began before funding was secured, affirming Wold’s belief that early guidance can shift a project’s trajectory and success. When nonprofits have a clearer sense of what their needs are and what solutions are possible sooner, they are better positioned to pursue financial support and strategic planning with confidence.
Every nonprofit that FFEN and Wold collaborated with had distinct goals and community needs. The team tailored its approach to each one, offering everything from operational flow assessments and schematic layouts to walkthroughs that helped staff envision design possibilities.
At the Sanneah Foundation, the team shaped the space with layout advice, planning support and mechanical and electrical engineering recommendations. For CLUES in St. Paul, they provided specialized engineering counsel, and at the Hudson Backpack and Food Program, Wold helped reconfigure the warehouse to improve distribution and volunteer flow. For FFEN’s own headquarters, the team supported office reconfiguration within a multi-tenant space to meet the needs of a partially remote staff while better showcasing the organization’s brand in a shared space. Each project required a different approach, but all shared a common goal: to give nonprofits spaces that help them operate with dignity, safety and efficiency.
One of the most recent engagements involved the Community Action Center in Rice County, where Wold assessed whether a county-owned building could be repurposed. The team ultimately guided the organization toward its existing site that offered more long-term growth potential. Improvements centered on creating a better daily experience for patrons and staff. This included doubling entry space to streamline check-in, replacing flooring to remove trip hazards, widening doors to accommodate carts, reorganizing staff work areas to improve workflow and safety, and rethinking how food is distributed within the space. The project also enhanced community spaces like the prayer room, bathrooms and resource meeting areas. A new cooler and freezer will also shift how the floor functions and help the food shelf manage increased demand.
Across all projects, Wold partnered closely with nonprofit staff, volunteers and leadership to ensure the space worked for everyone. The team listened closely and translated challenges into solutions that support both immediate needs and long-term growth.
The impact of these partnerships has extended far beyond building layouts. Wold’s early-stage design and engineering support helped nonprofits plan for funding, reduce stress on leaders and create spaces that reflect their missions. Many food shelves and service providers lack the internal expertise or financial resources to access architectural guidance. Pro bono support helped bridge that gap and allowed these organizations to pursue improvements they once saw as out of reach.
By offering insight from the very start, Wold helped turn passion into possibility, and the nonprofits gained a clearer vision for how their spaces could grow with the communities they serve. Thousands of people have already benefited, from families who rely on fresh groceries to volunteers and staff who show up for them every day. Of the work, FFEN's Director of Programs Katie Bull shared:
“FFEN is deeply grateful for the generous support of Wold Architects & Engineers. For over 2 years, Wold’s talented team has brought their architectural and engineering expertise to food shelf projects across Minnesota, helping organizations make informed, community-centered building decisions. Their thoughtful assessments have provided food shelves with a clear roadmap for improvement. Wold’s commitment and their partnership with FFEN have made a lasting impact, helping food shelves better serve their communities with dignity and efficiency.”
This work reflects the heart of the Wold Why. It is proof that thoughtful design doesn’t have to start with a construction budget, just a conversation. And when it does, it has the power to strengthen communities, expand access and create spaces that help people thrive.
