A decade of impact: Marathon Petroleum’s commitment to Friends in Need

Community News

St. Paul Park, Minnesota, foundation

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Key Points

  • Since 2015, Marathon Petroleum’s St. Paul Park refinery has contributed over $1 million to Friends in Need, a nonprofit food pantry located directly across the street from the refinery. 
  • With Marathon Petroleum's help, Friends in Need moved to a new, upgraded facility nearly 10 years ago and now serves hundreds of families from surrounding communities each week.
  • Recently, the refinery presented Friends in Need with a final check to pay off the mortgage for the food pantry’s building.

Since 2015, Marathon Petroleum’s St. Paul Park, Minnesota, refinery has been a steadfast supporter of Friends in Need, a nonprofit food pantry serving nearby communities. The partnership began with a $1 land donation and an initial $250,000 toward the building’s mortgage. Marathon Petroleum’s commitment, totaling over $1 million over the past nine years, has enabled the operations of these critical programs.

“It’s been a long, incredible partnership with the refinery and Marathon Petroleum,” said Michelle Rageth, former Executive Director of Friends in Need. “We’re grateful they honored their promise and supported us through this journey.”

(L to R) Friends In Need Assistant Director Crystal Schneider and Executive Director Jill Hughes inside the food shelf’s pantry in St. Paul Park.

Previously housed in an outdated VFW building, Friends in Need moved to a new facility in St. Paul Park with Marathon Petroleum’s help nearly 10 years ago. This upgraded facility, located across the street from the refinery, now serves hundreds of families weekly across Cottage Grove, Newport, St. Paul Park, and Grey Cloud.

“It’s just a privilege to be a part of such a thing, because it is a huge, huge deal to us,” said Jill Hughes, Executive Director of Friends in Need. “From their financial support to addressing various issues, all we have to do is contact the refinery, and they’re like, ‘oh, we can send someone over to help.’”

Holly Jackson, General Manager at the St. Paul Park refinery, was joined by about two dozen Marathon Petroleum employees to present the final installment. 

Exterior view of the Friends In Need food shelf in St. Paul Park.

“This partnership goes beyond financial support,” said Jackson. “Having the shelter so close allows us to support it through volunteerism, which our employees truly cherish.”

Jason Akey, a Marathon Petroleum employee who retired this summer but played a key role in the partnership, added, “Seeing Friends in Need grow and support countless families has been deeply satisfying. I’m proud of the impact we’ve made.”

Refinery employees continue to be actively involved, from organizing backpack drives to facility maintenance and seasonal projects.

(L to R) Meagan Buchanan, John DeKoster, Bonnie DeKoster, Mike Anderson and Parker Kraske at Friends In Need food shelf.
St. Paul Park refinery employee volunteers Kach Johnson (left) and Alex Ohl (right) washing storage containers at the Friends In Need food shelf.