The CEO of the Minnesota-based free-food behemoth Second Harvest Heartland announced that she will be stepping down from her position. Allison O’Toole will be leaving the organization after leading it for the past six years.
You may recall that, years ago, O’Toole served a term as CEO of the state government’s MNSure health insurance program, turning around that troubled agency after its rocky start under the previous leadership.
According to its most recent tax return records, the Brooklyn Park-based nonprofit Second Harvest earned total annual revenue of about $260 million. O’Toole earned total compensation that year (2022) of over $721,000.
State Rep. Marion Rarick (R-29B, Maple Lake) brought up the excessive executive compensation levels at the food-shelf nonprofit at a recent House committee budget hearing. Rep. Rarick noted:
Its top 10 staffers all receive larger salaries than the governor’s $127,629 salary that year.
[Don’t worry, Gov. Walz is in line for a hefty raise.] Rep. Rarick continues:
One thing that strikes me is that Second Harvest Heartland has nearly as much total revenue ($260 million) in one year as the [state] Department of Agriculture’s all funds (general fund + dedicated revenue) budget for two years ($272 million).
Rep. Rarick also noted that Second Harvest received more than $6 million in government (taxpayer) funding. The nonprofit had enough spare cash lying around last year that they could dabble in electioneering.
Meanwhile, other food-shelf nonprofits are crying dire poverty. KSTP-5 reports:
Minnesota sees record number of food shelf visits last year, support needed to keep up with demand
In this context, “support” refers to a recent private fundraiser and a call for more volunteers. But food shelves have also been at the state capitol this month, asking for more taxpayer dollars.
Last week saw the end of the second courtroom trial for Feeding Our Future, a free-food nonprofit involved in the theft of a quarter-billion dollars in taxpayer funds meant to feed low-income children.
Taking a wider view, there does not appear to be any shortage of resources devoted to “food insecurity.” Perhaps a re-distribution is in order.
…