Heart-n-Soul Community Café has been awarded a significant boost to its mission, winning a $25,000 donation from Gate City Bank as part of this year’s Giving Hearts Day fundraising event. The announcement took place at the Dakota Medical Foundation, where a surge of donations was received both online and via phone throughout the 24-hour initiative.
Leola Daul, Founder and Executive Director of Heart-n-Soul Community Café, expressed her gratitude for the support, 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 crucial role in combating food insecurity by donating food to those in need and serving locally sourced meals under a pay-what-you-can model. The recent donation will facilitate the provision of approximately 2,000 meals through their mobile café, targeting community members who are experiencing hardship.
“This gift keeps the food truck rolling into neighborhoods that need connection just as much as they need nourishment,” Daul explained. She highlighted the importance of the funding, which supports moments of connection for individuals who may feel isolated. “It funds the mother who quietly asks for an extra serving because her children are waiting at home,” she added. “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.”
The nomination contest, a staple of Giving Hearts Day since 2014, saw strong participation from the community, further indicating the public’s commitment to charitable causes. Gate City Bank reported that the total nominations since tracking began in 2017 have exceeded 1 million.
“This really reflects the heart of our communities,” noted Amanda Torok, Senior Vice President of Culture at Gate City Bank. She emphasized the bank’s commitment to providing individuals with meaningful ways to support the causes they care about.
Following the conclusion of the nomination period, finalists were randomly selected to determine the winner of the contest. Overall, Gate City Bank’s financial contributions to Giving Hearts Day have now surpassed $230,000 this year alone.
“We believe strongly that creating a better way of life means giving back to our communities through philanthropic giving and volunteering,” Torok stated. “Giving Hearts Day is a special time when our entire region is focused on making a difference for others.”
Since 2014, Gate City Bank has donated more than $2.4 million and supported over 350 charities through this initiative. Giving Hearts Day was originally launched in 2008 by the Dakota Medical Foundation to benefit charities across North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota, establishing a tradition of generosity and community support.
