The drive to work today was a bear. I managed to keep it together in the freezing, snowy conditions but I can’t say that for all of my fellow commuters. The impatience of people sitting in their nice warm cars coming from their comfy homes and heading off to their jobs is amazing. Weather will always be an issue here in Minnesota but the real concern is not getting to work 15 minutes late. The real concern is not having any work to get to, or a home to return to, never mind a car to get you there. Cold, hard weather like this always makes me more conscious of the homeless population. I finally get off my duff and bring an extra bag of groceries to church or a food shelf. I know it’s not enough.

My pick this week gives grants to non-profits serving those without food or shelter. Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless (OYH) assists food shelves, food banks, shelters, transitional housing programs and permanent supportive housing programs here in Minnesota. Grants are made on an application basis and, just like hunger, they take place year round. You can read their eligibility guidelines and access application information at http://www.oyh.org/level3/Regular%20Grant%20Guidelines.doc.

Please note there are many ways to donate to OYH and some of them are as simple as Groceries for Good Causes! If you shop at Kowalski's on Grand Avenue in St Paul or West 78th in Eden Prairie, just leave your receipts in the Open Your Heart box on your way out. Donations to OYH are based on the number of receipts, and not the total amount you spend.