Heart-n-Soul Community Café has emerged victorious in Gate City Bank’s $25,000 nomination contest during this year’s Giving Hearts Day fundraising event. The announcement took place at the Dakota Medical Foundation as donations were actively collected online and over the phone throughout the 24-hour initiative.
Leola Daul, the Founder and Executive Director of Heart-n-Soul Community Café, expressed her gratitude, stating, “It means so much to know that Gate City Bank is investing so much into the community. It takes all of us to make a community strong.”
The nonprofit organization plays a vital role in addressing food insecurity by donating food to those in need and serving locally sourced meals through a pay-what-you-can model. The recent $25,000 donation is set to facilitate the provision of approximately 2,000 meals through their mobile café to community members facing economic hardship. Daul emphasized the importance of this support, saying, “This gift keeps the food truck rolling into neighborhoods that need connection just as much as they need nourishment.”
Impact on the Community
The funding will enable Heart-n-Soul Community Café to enhance its outreach, providing meals not just for nourishment but also for connection. Daul highlighted the personal impact of the funding, noting, “It funds the mother who quietly asks for an extra serving because her children are waiting at home. It funds the senior on a fixed income who has not shared a meal with someone in weeks. It funds the young adult who stops by not only because they are hungry, but because they know someone there will ask how they are doing and listen.”
Gate City Bank, which has been a longtime supporter of the Giving Hearts Day initiative, received significant community engagement during the nomination phase. This year’s efforts pushed the total number of nominations since the program began in 2017 to over 1 million. The bank has made the contest a tradition on Giving Hearts Day since its inception in 2014.
Amanda Torok, Senior Vice President of Culture at Gate City Bank, commented on the community response, stating, “This really reflects the heart of our communities. People want to help, and we love giving people a simple yet impactful way to support the causes that matter most to them.”
Giving Hearts Day Overview
The selection of the winner involved a random draw from a pool of finalists after the nomination period concluded. In total, Gate City Bank’s financial contributions to Giving Hearts Day exceeded $230,000 this year. “We believe strongly that creating a better way of life means giving back to our communities through philanthropic giving and volunteering,” Torok added. “Giving Hearts Day is a special time when our entire region is focused on making a difference for others.”
Since its launch in 2008 by the Dakota Medical Foundation, Giving Hearts Day has evolved into a significant fundraising initiative, benefiting numerous charities across North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Over the years, Gate City Bank has contributed more than $2.4 million and supported over 350 charities through this event.
