Bjorn Solberg, David Shultz, Bremer Bank, Amy Riccio to receive hunger-relief organization’s highest honor
FARGO, N.D. – Named each year to lift up individuals or organizations that have made an exceptional contribution in the fight to end hunger, the Great Plains Food Bank has named Bjorn Solberg (Hugh’s Gardens), David Shultz (Shultz & Associates), Bremer Bank and Amy Riccio (Moorhead Public Schools) as their 2023 Hunger-Relief Champion award winners. Winners are nominated and selected based on their dedication to the Great Plains Food Bank mission, sharing their abilities and voices to end hunger while demonstrating the values of passion, service and innovation.
Launched in 2008, the Hunger-Relief Champion award recognizes partners who demonstrate outstanding leadership and commitment to the Great Plains Food Bank mission to end hunger together, engage and challenge communities to take action, lift their voices up as advocates and go above and beyond to help meet the organization’s vision of a hunger-free North Dakota and Clay County, Minn.
“Ending hunger takes all of us working alongside each other every day to serve the 156,000 neighbors who turn to us for assistance. I’m incredibly proud of this year’s winners who continue to be true champions of hunger-relief,” Great Plains Food Bank CEO Melissa Sobolik said. “Congratulations and thank you to Bjorn Solberg, David Shultz, Bremer Bank and Amy Riccio for all they do to help end hunger.”
Bjorn Solberg
Hugh’s Gardens
Owner of Hugh’s Gardens for the last five years, Bjorn Solberg has made it a personal mission to give back and to help feed those in need. Hugh’s Gardens works with certified organic potato farmers to store, wash and distribute high quality potatoes throughout the region, which has included donating large amounts of potatoes to the Great Plains Food Bank. Hugh’s Gardens has donated 314,876 pounds of potatoes to the Great Plains Food Bank since 2022, which is valued at more than $604,000. Based out of Halstad, Minnesota, each potato Hugh’s Gardens donates is grown locally and goes back to feed local children, seniors and families. Additionally, Solberg has been a true champion of programs that bring locally produced products into schools in Ada, Moorhead, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton and Fargo Public Schools, including providing classroom education and other opportunities for students and educators.
David Shultz
Shultz + Associates Architects
David Shultz, President of Shultz + Associates Architects, along with his wife, Candace, and the entire team at Shultz + Associates have been longtime partners with the Great Plains Food Bank in the fight to end hunger. More than an architect, David is a true champion of the mission of the Great Plains Food Bank. Specifically, David, alongside Shultz + Associates, were crucial in assisting the Great Plains Food Bank in opening a regional service center in Bismarck by generously donating time and talent to help make the facility a reality and advancing the organization’s service in central and western North Dakota. The architecture firm continues to go above and beyond with their generosity by providing expertise, support and guidance as the organization continues to grow. Additionally, between David, Candace and Shultz + Associates, they have contributed $100,000 to the Great Plains Food Bank.
Bremer Bank
Named an inaugural Hunger-Relief Champion winner in 2008, Bremer Bank is the first repeat winner, demonstrating their longstanding commitment to the fight to end hunger. More than banking partners, Bremer Bank has donated nearly $50,000 since 2014, are consistent volunteers, supported the recent Feed the Future campaign, which helped open the Bismarck regional service center, and made a recent $10,000 gift to support the Kitchen Coalition program.
Amy Riccio
Moorhead Public Schools
Amy Riccio has made a career of helping students in need for the past 28 years. Amy currently serves as a social worker and homeless liaison with the Moorhead Public School District and is passionate about providing essential services to students. Through the Great Plains Food Bank School Pantry Program, Amy established the first school pantry within the Moorhead school district and has plans to add more sites in the future. She is a dedicated member of the Cass Clay Hunger Coalition, currently in her second year serving as an advisory board member. As part of the coalition, Amy played a key role in implementing the coalition’s school meal repack pilot program to help ensure students are fed and school meals are not going to waste. Prior to her work within Moorhead Public Schools, Amy served as a social worker for Fargo Public Schools for more than 10 years.
Find a complete list of previous Hunger Relief Champion award winners HERE.