Minnesota Pizzeria Owner Turns Dumpster Plea Into Lifeline for the Hungry

When Pizza Man owner Chris Kolstad noticed people digging through the dumpster behind his Columbia Heights, Minnesota pizzeria, he knew he had to act. On July 29, he posted a heartfelt plea on Facebook: “Please do not eat out of our dumpster. Nobody deserves that. If you are that desperate for food, please come ask.” Kolstad’s simple offer of free pizza for those in need struck a chord, quickly going viral and sparking donations of more than $4,000 to support his efforts. Since then, he’s helped nearly 100 individuals and partnered with Southern Anoka Community Assistance, a local food shelf serving thousands of families facing hunger. For Kolstad, it’s about compassion: “I can’t sit in a building full of food and watch somebody starve in my parking lot.”