Guthrie Theater To Host Curbside Food Drive In Partnership With The Food Group

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.