Second Harvest Heartland defended its executive compensation and financial stewardship, but some legislators are concerned by the “out of control” salaries at nonprofits requesting public dollars.
Minnesota’s hunger crisis is growing—and apparently so is the appetite for big executive pay at one of the state’s top food nonprofits.
Allison O’Toole, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland, earned $721,000 in total compensation in 2022—even as the nonprofit has lobbied for taxpayer funding and warned of rising hunger across Minnesota, where 26% of households with children are food insecure, according to its own research.
Now, as O’Toole steps down after six years at the helm, lawmakers are raising questions.
Concerns first raised during legislative hearing
Rep. Pam Altendorf, R-Red Wing, told Alpha News that O’Toole’s salary issue first surfaced during a recent “food day” at the Capitol, when food shelf representatives, including O’Toole, testified before the House Children and Families Committee.
“Rep. Bjorn Olson pulled the 990 [tax form] and shared Allison O’Toole’s salary with our committee members right before she testified,” Altendorf said. “That’s when the questions started.”
What in tarnation!!!
CEO Salary = $721,000⁉️WHO thinks a NON-PROFIT asking MN tax payers for GRANTS should be making that kind of money…?
Apparently feeding “hungry people” is an EXTREMELY Profitable Business!🤯
MONEY
FUNNELING
SYSTEM https://t.co/FnBx13FX2M— Pam Altendorf (@PamAltendorf) March 18, 2025
MORE:
https://alphanews.org/minnesota-food-bank-ceo-steps-down-as-legislators-question-her-721k-salary/