Pizza shop owner sees people eat from dumpster and goes viral for an incredibly kind gesture

Seeing a rise in food insecurity in his community, Minnesota pizza shop owner Chris Kolstad decided to take action.

After noticing people taking leftover food from his dumpster, he shared a heartfelt offer on Facebook. Instead of asking them to stop, he invited anyone in need to simply ask for a free meal.

“Leave me a note,” Chris wrote on Facebook, “and we will find a way to leave any extras or mistakes out back so you have something to eat without going through the trash.”

Food insecurity prompts pizza shop owner’s bold step

Chris’s message quickly reached far beyond his local town, with offers of community support pouring in from both customers and strangers.

Alongside giving away dozens of pizzas, he began raising over $3,000 for local food banks, shelters, and pantries.

His approach stood in sharp contrast to other business owners who have used barriers, loud music, or legal measures to keep homeless people away.

“Usually if somebody’s going to that length, they’re trying to survive. And I have a hard time sitting in a building full of food knowing that,” Chris told The Post.

From Dumpster diving to free meals

Chris has owned Pizza Man in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, since 2020, and said people have been dumpster diving behind the shop since then.

But in late July, he noticed it happening more often.

Sometimes, animals rummaged through the trash, but the pizza shop owner also found untouched pizza boxes with still neat slices inside.

There were empty water bottles and napkins nearby — clear signs of people eating outside.

The timing matched what local hunger relief groups were seeing.

Dave Rudolph, co-director of Southern Anoka Community Assistance, a Columbia Heights food pantry, reported an increase in first-time visitors, partly attributed to rising food prices.

The Minnesota nonprofit Food Group confirmed the trend, stating that Minnesotans visited food pantries nearly 9 million times last year — 1.4 million more than in 2023.

A history of helping neighbors

Chris was no stranger to helping during hard times.

He had given away pizza when schools shut down during the pandemic and raised funds for Southern Anoka Community Assistance when it faced a budget crisis in 2023.

But nothing compared to his July 29 Facebook post, which received attention when he offered free meals to anyone in need.

He explained that even if someone was too shy to ask in person, they could find a way to contact him so he could quietly leave food out back.

That night, he placed a cheese pizza near the dumpster for a frequent visitor.

“It’s just crazy to me how something very basic and what just feels like the human thing to do turned into such a huge thing,” Chris said.

Community support grows in Minnesota

The social media post encouraged many to give. Longtime customer Missy Hines donated $250 after hearing about his efforts.

Others contributed through Venmo, helping the shop provide food for those in need and continuing donations to local pantries.

In just one week, about 50 pizzas were given away.

Chris’s staff also brought large cheese pizzas to parks where some homeless people slept.

While he did not verify each request, he believed no one abused the offer, saying the cost of a small pizza was worth preserving someone’s dignity.

The shop even received an anonymous note from a family thanking the staff for their quick help during a difficult time.

A pizza show owner making a big difference in food insecurity

On one Tuesday alone, Pizza Man donated $120 to Southern Anoka Community Assistance, with plans to give more in the coming weeks.

Chris set aside about $20 a day from donations for ongoing giveaways. He made it clear his shop wasn’t a soup kitchen but wanted to be part of a wider solution.

The publicity also brought in more paying customers, helping his once-struggling business.

However, Chris said his focus remains on helping neighbors through this growing challenge of food insecurity.

The pizza show owner encouraged others to donate unused food or pick up an extra item at the store to give away.

“We can’t fix all the world’s problems,” he concluded. “But if enough of us take small steps we can reduce them a little at a time.”

Here’s the heartwarming news about how a pizza shop owner tackles the rise of food insecurity in his community.