GUTHRIE THEATER CONTINUES LONGTIME PARTNERSHIP WITH
THE FOOD GROUP TO HOST CURBSIDE FOOD DRIVE

December 19–21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

(Minneapolis/St. Paul) — The Guthrie Theater (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) today announced it will continue its annual tradition of partnering with The Food Group to collect healthy, nonperishable food items for Minnesota families in need this holiday season. The curbside food drive will take place at the Guthrie Theater, located at 818 South 2nd Street in Minneapolis, on December 19–21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Since 1982, the Guthrie’s food drive has been inextricably linked to its beloved production of A Christmas Carol, an annual holiday tradition that has been reimagined as the virtual Dickens’ Holiday Classic in 2020. In light of the COVID-19 crisis, the food drive has also been reimagined as a convenient drive-by-and-drop-off event.

Guthrie Managing Director James Haskins said, “In 2019, Guthrie patrons helped us collect 538 pounds of food, provide 486 meals, give 14 families a three-day supply of food and support more than 250 local food banks and hunger relief organizations. The needs are even greater in 2020, so we’re inviting our friends and neighbors to join us in giving back to the community.”

Suggested donation items include vegetables (low-sodium canned veggies, pasta sauce, salsa, mushrooms); dairy (powdered/shelf-stable milk, milk alternatives like rice, soy, almond); fruits (canned fruit, sugar-free applesauce, dried fruit, 100% fruit juices); grains (brown/wild rice, whole-grain pastas, low-sugar oatmeal, gluten-free options); proteins (canned tuna/salmon/chicken, canned/dried beans, unsalted nuts, peanut butter); oils and spices (olive/canola oil, onion/garlic powder, dried spices like basil, oregano, thyme); and household items (can openers, toilet paper, baby wipes, dish soap, hand sanitizer, face masks).

Giving back is a universal theme at the Guthrie this holiday season. The theater has committed to making Dickens’ Holiday Classic, its virtual telling of A Christmas Carol, free for K–12 schools. In November, the Guthrie also announced the relaunch of the Guthrie Store online (guthriestore.com), featuring a product collaboration with The Bridge for Youth, a local nonprofit that provides safety and stability for homeless and runaway youth in the Twin Cities. A limited-edition thermos and blanket are available for individual purchase or direct donation to The Bridge for Youth in January.

About The Food Group
The Food Group is a local nonprofit focused on using nutritious food to strengthen community. The organization works at the intersection of food access, equity and nutrition issues related to food and hunger in 30 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Programs include food shelf and meal program support; a healthy and affordable grocery sales program called Fare for All; and Big River Farms, an organic farmer education program in Marine on St. Croix for people historically underrepresented in farm ownership. The Food Group believes nutritious food strengthens our community by creating better health outcomes and providing the foundation needed to thrive. www.thefoodgroupmn.org

THE GUTHRIE THEATER (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) is an esteemed center for theater performance that seeks to illuminate our common humanity and transform our world through the power of live theater. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and firmly rooted in the community since 1963, the Guthrie is dedicated to producing classic and contemporary works with excellence, cultivating artists and inspiring the next generation of theatergoers. guthrietheater.org