Hallie Q. Brown

Community Center Since 1929, the Lighthouse of the Community

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Basic Needs

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have modified our operations to follow the State of Minnesota and the Center for Disease Control guidelines. 

We are not able to allow clients and community members to shop for themselves in our food shelf; however, we will provide a personal shopper to shop for you based upon your requests.  You can still make an appointment via phone, or you may use the Hallie Q. Brown Food Shelf Request Form we will fill your requests and have your order ready for curbside pick up or delivery. Delivery priority is given to seniors and health-related homebound persons).

Program Hours

At this time, services are accessible by appointment only. Please call (651) 224-4607.

Donations

Donation drop-off hours are Monday through Friday, 9am-5pm. If you are dropping off a donation, please do not come into the building. Instead, CALL AHEAD: (651) 224-4607.

THE CLOTHING CLOSET IS CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS UNTIL FUTURE NOTICE. At this time, we cannot accept any of your kind donations for our Clothing Closet. Please check back as we will update this page when possible.

The Hallie Q. Brown Food Shelf operates on a client-choice model and strives to assist families in achieving self-sufficiency and empowerment through providing basic needs of food and clothing.

Program Details

  • The wide variety of items available at the Food Shelf include dry goods, canned items, fresh produce, bread, personal hygiene products, pet food, and culturally specific foods donated by partners.

  • Approximately three quarters of the food distributed in 2020 was donated.

  • Outstanding partnerships continue to ensure that the Food Shelf provides very nutritious offerings.

  • The growth trend in Basic Needs wraparound services such as the Clothing Closet and holiday toy offerings continued, setting a record in 2020.

  • In 2021, we look forward to a brand new gardening season and hope for a bountiful harvest of tomatoes, green peas, carrots, sweet peppers, collared greens, and strawberries to supplement the Food Shelf’s fresh produce offerings and teach ELC students math, science, and gardening concepts.
  • We served an additional 16 zip codes throughout 2020, including the historical Rondo (Summit-University) and Frogtown neighborhoods (compared to 3 zip codes in 2019).

What Makes Hallie’s Food Shelf Unique?

  • We offer a client-choice model, where community members can pick the items they will use instead of being handed a stock bag which may contain items that do not meet their dietary or cultural needs.
  • In addition to our staple pantry, we offer fresh produce and bread.
  • Strides were made in 2020 in sourcing culturally-specific foods so that all families may obtain what they seek.

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Services in 2020

50,000+ clients served in our community (compared to 28,000 in 2019).

Over 1 million pounds of food served in our Food Shelf (compared to 864,161 lbs in 2019).

3,300+ holiday baskets distributed in November and December 2020 (compared to 500 in 2019).

Location & Contact

Hallie Q Brown Community Center

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This is the last week of the Open Your Heart Campaign! We’re $2,000 away from reaching our $9,200 goal in honor of 92 years of serving the community. We are all in this together, can we count on you to make a donation to ensure our community has the food resources they need? Donate today using the link in our bio!
At age 5, Wilma Rudolph contracted Polio, severely impacting her left leg and foot. Through weekly treatments and massages, Wilma was able to recover and walk without a leg brace by age 12. During her junior year of high school, she competed in her first Olympics in 1956, making her the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic team and earning her the bronze medal. During her second year at Tennessee State, Rudolph qualified again for the 1960 Olympics in three events. She ended up taking home the gold in each event she qualified for, making her the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympiad. Good luck to all the athletes competing in the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics!
The Open Your Heart campaign is in full swing and we’re $3,000 shy of reaching this year’s goal. Our Center is the cornerstone of the community and we want to ensure that everyone who walks through our doors gets the services and food they need! Donate today using the link in our bio, funds will be matched up to $4,000!
The National Association of Colored Women (NACW) is celebrating their quasquicentennial today! Black women were often left behind during the women’s rights movement, so 125 years ago, Harriet Tubman, Margaret Murray Washington, Frances E. W. Harper, Ida B. Wells, Mary Church Terrell, and other trailblazers established the organization to advance the rights of black women. Our namesake, Hallie Quinn Brown, served as President of the organization from 1920-1924, and just like her, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center will continue to fight for the rights of all!
Rondo native, Debbie Montgomery was recently presented the Community Builder award from Northern Star Scouting for her outstanding leadership and commitment to the Saint Paul community. Congratulations, Debbie! Click the link in our bio to watch the full award recognition video!
After a long year away from our friends, we are excited to get back out in the community for the 2nd Annual Raising Rondo with Saint Paul Firefighters United. Stop by Hallie Q. Brown Community Center’s parking lot tomorrow at 11:00 AM for free essential needs! We’ll have food and other basic necessities available until supplies last. This event is free and open to all!

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Mission

The mission of Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Inc is to improve the quality of life in our community by providing access to critical human services, fostering and promoting personal growth, and developing community leadership.

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