In Bismarck, local organizations are ramping up efforts to fight both childhood and senior hunger: Heaven’s Helpers Soup Café continues serving free hot meals daily, the Missouri Slope Areawide United Way Backpack Program delivered 30,000+ weekend food packs to local students in 2024, and the Burleigh County Senior Adults Program delivered nearly 160,000 meals for age 60+ in recent years.
The Soup Café, operated by Heaven’s Helpers, is open at 220 N 23rd St in Bismarck, offering two homemade soups, sandwiches, salad bar, dessert and beverage—free of charge, no ID required.
The Backpack Program, run by Missouri Slope Areawide United Way, provides weekend food packs for students who might otherwise go hungry outside of school. In 2024 the program provided over 30,140 backpacks to 1,700+ children across Bismarck-Mandan and rural communities.
For seniors, the Burleigh County Senior Adults Program (BCSAP) provides congregate meals, drive-thru/take-out meals, home-delivered meals and frozen meals. In 2024 it projected providing around 160,000 meals to those age 60+ in Burleigh County.
Food security links directly to academic performance: children who arrive hungry struggle to concentrate and learn. For older adults, nutritious meals plus social connection reduce health risks, isolation and hospital visits. These services reflect a broader local response: nonprofits filling gaps where government or private support is limited—especially important in Bismarck’s changing demographics and budget-tight environment.
“We offer a free all-you-can-eat hot meal Monday through Friday… no paperwork, no judgement,” said a representative of Heaven’s Helpers Soup Café.
“With just $4,000 a business can sponsor an entire weekend and provide nourishment for over 170 kids,” said the United Way Backpack Program coordinator.
“Without good nutrition, older adults have more health issues… we expect by year end we’ll have provided 160,000 meals to people 60‐and-over in Burleigh County,” said Renee Kipp, Executive Director of BCSAP.
Heaven’s Helpers frequently needs kitchen help, serving and cleaning. The Backpack Program’s model of $5 per child per weekend allows individuals or businesses to directly support local students. Consider donating to or volunteering with the senior nutrition programs at BCSAP. Share these opportunities among your network—highlighting how local nonprofits are tackling hunger in Bismarck.
From students heading home with a backpack full of weekend meals, to seniors receiving nourishing hot plates, to individuals simply needing a warm place to eat and connect—the nonprofit fabric of Bismarck is strengthening through these vital programs. They don’t just fill stomachs—they fill gaps in our social safety net.
