Open Arms is preparing for significant growth over the next decade, and our current Minneapolis building can no longer support where we are going. 

The building has served us extraordinarily well, but we have reached its operational limits. We need more room for meal production, storage, refrigeration, deliveries and future programming. Parking also limits the number of delivery drivers, volunteers and staff we can accommodate. 

Rather than make a significant investment in a building that still would not meet our long-term needs, we have decided to begin planning for a new Minneapolis home. 

No. Open Arms is committed to maintaining a meaningful physical presence in Minneapolis. 

Minneapolis has been an important part of our history for 40 years and will continue to be part of our future. We are beginning the process of determining what our future Minneapolis location should look like and where it should be. 

No. This is a growth decision. 

Our strategic plan calls for Open Arms to significantly expand our reach and impact over the next decade. By 2036, our goal is to have the capacity to provide one million more meals annually while strengthening our position as a regional leader in Food is Medicine. 

Our facilities need to be designed for that future. 

We have explored what it would take to remain at Bloomington Avenue. A preliminary facilities assessment estimates that significant financial resources would need to be invested over the next five years to make repairs and improvements and continue operating at our current levels. 

Even with that investment, several major challenges would remain, including limited parking, delivery staging, storage, refrigeration and freezer capacity, and space for future growth. 

We believe investing in facilities that can support our future is a better long-term use of our resources. 

There will not be an immediate move. 

We will continue operating from Bloomington Avenue as we work through the sale and carefully plan for our future Minneapolis location. We are working with the realtor to ensure we can stay for an extended period even after the sale. We are committed to making the transition in a way that minimizes disruption to our clients, volunteers, staff and meal production. 

We will share more information as plans and timelines are finalized. 

We don’t know yet. 

We are developing a long-term facilities plan that considers our future meal volume, client access, volunteer experience, delivery operations, transportation, storage, programming and opportunities for continued growth. 

Accessibility, visibility, safety and creating a welcoming community will all be important considerations. 

An opportunity to expand our footprint at our St. Paul location gives Open Arms additional flexibility as we think about our overall facility needs. 

St. Paul is an important part of our future, but it cannot accommodate all of Open Arms’ operations. Maintaining a physical presence in Minneapolis remains part of our long-term plan. 

Safety is one factor, but it is not the reason for the decision. 

We want every client, volunteer, staff member and visitor to feel safe and welcome at Open Arms. At the same time, the decision reflects several larger considerations, including the condition of the building, parking limitations, space constraints, operational efficiency, future financial investment and our need for significantly more capacity. 

Together, these factors led us to conclude that a different facility is the best long-term solution. 

Open Arms is beginning the process of selling the building. 

We care deeply about the Phillips neighborhood and the role our building has played in the community. As the process moves forward, we hope the property can continue to contribute positively to the neighborhood. 

We will share additional information when we are able. 

For now, volunteers should continue to volunteer just as they do today. There is no immediate change to volunteer shifts or locations. 

As we plan for the future, the volunteer experience will be a major consideration. Our goal is to create facilities that are safe, accessible, welcoming and joyful—and that make it possible for even more people to participate in our mission. 

We will communicate with volunteers well in advance of any changes that affect them. 

Our commitment to our clients remains unchanged. 

Open Arms will continue providing high-quality medically tailored meals, nutrition support and compassionate service throughout the transition. Maintaining reliable access to meals and minimizing disruption to clients will be central to our planning. 

We do not expect the decision to interrupt our regular meal service. 

The purpose of planning well in advance is to ensure that we can transition facilities while continuing to fulfill our mission. 

Open Arms is at an important moment. 

Demand for our services continues to grow. Our current Minneapolis building has reached its operational limits and requires increasing investment. At the same time, opportunities at our St. Paul location and our new strategic direction give us the chance to think differently about how our facilities can support the organization. 

Rather than wait until circumstances force us to make a change, we believe this is the right time to thoughtfully plan for the future. 

Financial sustainability and responsible stewardship will guide our planning. 

Open Arms expects the sale of Bloomington Avenue to provide resources that can be reinvested in our future. Our strategic plan also calls for exploring a comprehensive fundraising campaign to support future facility and organizational needs. 

Specific plans and fundraising goals will be determined as our facilities planning progresses. 

We are profoundly grateful to the donors and community members who made Bloomington Avenue possible. 

Their investment did exactly what it was intended to do: it gave Open Arms a home where we could dramatically expand our mission, serve more clients, engage thousands of volunteers and become the organization we are today. 

The success of Bloomington Avenue is part of what makes this next chapter possible. 

Intentionally. 

Our strategic plan specifically identifies honoring the Bloomington Avenue legacy as something we will not compromise during the transition. 

We plan to preserve stories, relationships, traditions and elements of our history and find meaningful ways to carry them into our future facilities. We also want our community to be part of determining how we celebrate and preserve this important chapter of Open Arms’ history. 

No. 

Buildings have changed throughout our 40-year history as Open Arms has grown. Our purpose has remained constant. 

We will continue providing medically tailored meals, nutrition support and hope to people living with serious illnesses while creating the joyful, inclusive community that has always been at the heart of Open Arms.