This year’s honorees include Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation, Fargo Cass Public Health, House Of Prayer Lutheran Church Bismarck, and Governor Kelly Armstrong.
The Great Plains Food Bank is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Hunger Relief Champion awards, the greatest honor the hunger-relief organization can present. This annual recognition celebrates individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional service, passion, and innovation in the movement to end hunger across North Dakota and Clay County, MN.
This year’s honorees include Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation, Fargo Cass Public Health, House Of Prayer Lutheran Church, and Governor Kelly Armstrong. These recipients embody the spirit of commitment and partnership that fuels our mission to end hunger today, tomorrow, and for good. Through generous contributions of time, resources, and advocacy, each honoree has helped lift our communities and create meaningful change for thousands of our neighbors in need.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Caring Foundation was recognized for its longstanding commitment to hunger relief and community wellness. Since 2017, the Foundation has contributed more than $94,000 to support Great Plains Food Bank programs and emergency response efforts, including Cultural Food Pop-Ups, Giving Hearts Day initiatives, disaster response support, and Packathon partnerships. Their continued investment and responsiveness during times of urgent need have strengthened food access for thousands of individuals and families across the region.
Fargo Cass Public Health has shown extraordinary partnership and rapid response during the government shutdown in late 2025. Through staffing support, backpack food deliveries, fleet vehicle assistance, and hosting a large-scale pop-up food distribution serving 400 households, Fargo Cass Public Health helped ensure children and families continued to have access to nutritious food during a critical time. Their willingness to step in quickly and collaboratively demonstrated the power of community partnership in action.
House Of Prayer Lutheran Church, Bismarck was honored for its unwavering volunteerism, generosity, and dedication to serving neighbors facing hunger. Since 2023, members of the church have contributed more than 1,600 volunteer hours while also providing meaningful financial support to the organization. Beyond their service, the group has consistently brought compassion, enthusiasm, and leadership to every opportunity, from warehouse volunteer shifts to community food distributions, while also encouraging younger generations to engage in service and community impact.
Governor Kelly Armstrong was recognized for his leadership and support of hunger relief efforts across North Dakota. During the government shutdown in 2025, Governor Armstrong and the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services provided $915,000 in state contingency funding, helping purchase and distribute more than 450,000 pounds of food and support an estimated 24,000 additional households. Governor Armstrong and First Lady Kjersti Armstrong also partnered with the Great Plains Food Bank through the Governor’s Inaugural Ball, which raised $200,000 and generated a truckload of donated food to support families facing hunger.
“The Hunger Relief Champion award recognizes partners who go above and beyond to ensure our neighbors have access to the food and support they need,” said Ann Prifrel, Chief Executive Officer of the Great Plains Food Bank. “This year’s recipients have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, compassion, and commitment to our mission. We are incredibly grateful for their partnership and the lasting impact they continue to make in communities across our region.”
The 2025 Hunger Relief Champions represent the best of what’s possible when organizations, businesses, and community members come together and exemplify leadership, compassion, and commitment to end hunger through their ongoing support of food, funds, volunteerism, advocacy, and collaboration.