by Dennis Dalman
As the Christmas season approaches, if anyone is thinking about donating to the St. Joseph Community Food Shelf, now is a good time to do it because donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $150,000 by the Norman C. Skalicky Foundation.
That foundation is working in tandem with the Central Minnesota Community Foundation to help raise funds for three area food shelves – the one in St. Joseph as well as Catholic Charities and the St. Cloud Salvation Army food shelves.
The Skalicky Foundation fund match will be in effect through Dec. 31. It started on Nov. 25.
Donations should be made directly to one of the three food shelves. Those who write checks or give money in person should mention (or write on the check’s memo line) two words: “Community Challenge.”
The following are the mailing addresses for the three food shelf locations:
St. Joseph Community Food Shelf. P.O. Box 121, St. Joseph, MN 56374.
St. Cloud Salvation Army Food Shelf. 400 U.S. Highway 10 South, St. Cloud, MN 56304.
Catholic Charities Food Shelf. 911 18th St. N., St. Cloud, MN 56302.
Many towns and cities in central Minnesota do not have their own food shelves (St. Joseph being an exception). Thus, many residents who do not have access to their own food shelves depend upon larger, more regional food shelves such as those of the St. Cloud Salvation Army or Catholic Charities, based in St. Cloud.
Since 2000, the Central Minnesota Community Foundation has partnered with various organizations to host fundraisers in support of food shelves. In just 23 years, those efforts raised a phenomenal amount ($6.7 million) to help families and individuals in financial need attain nutritious foods.
The Norman C. Skalicky Foundation Fund, with the Central Minnesota Community Foundation, began in 1999 because of Skalicky’s passion for philanthropy. For the past nearly 25 years, this fund has supported a multitude of community initiatives, programs and response needs.
Born in North Dakota, Skalicky began his banking career in Albany in central Minnesota. Prior to founding Stearns Bank, he got his start as an insurance agent at the Stearns County State Bank. He would later purchase the majority interest in both the Stearns County State Bank and First State Bank of Albany.
In 1966, he merged both banks to create Stearns Bank National Association, now based in St. Cloud, with locations in Arizona and Florida.
Skalicky died at age 87 in 2021.
Since 1985, the Central Minnesota Community Foundation has worked to provide grants for capital campaigns, local programs and other initiatives that improve the quality of life in the greater St. Cloud region.
The late Norman C. Skalicky founded a foundation that has helped countless people and organizations, including local food-shelf recipients, throughout the years.
