A Pizzeria Owner Found People Eating from His Dumpster, and His Reaction Is a Lesson in Kindness
Chris Kolstad runs Heights Pizza Man in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. For years, he noticed evidence of people taking food behind his shop but never realized how regular it had become. Empty napkins, stacked boxes, and water bottles told him this was no accident or animal scavenging.
One afternoon, his cook even saw a woman eating garlic cheese bread near the dumpster. That moment changed his thinking. Kolstad felt it was wrong to watch hungry people dig for discarded food while he worked in a building full of fresh meals. His next decision transformed a private struggle into a public act of compassion.
Turning a Disturbing Discovery into Direct Help
Image via Pexels/David Levinson
Kolstad initially tried to discourage dumpster diving by putting up signs. But they did not work. Eventually, he realized he was witnessing real hunger rather than casual scavenging. So, on July 29, 2025, he posted a message on his restaurant’s Facebook page asking people not to eat out of the dumpster. He invited them to reach out directly if they needed food.
He even offered an anonymous option for people too embarrassed to ask. Anyone could call or leave a note, and he would set aside a pizza by the back door. He started by placing a cheese pizza outside in the exact spot where people had left boxes before. That first pizza signaled a change from leftover scraps to fresh food prepared on purpose.
The Community Responded to His Simple Offer
The Facebook post made by Kolstad quickly drew attention and support. Local businesses such as Nozy’s Grill reached out to help. Individuals began donating money after Kolstad added a Venmo link to cover costs. By early August, donations had surpassed $3,000 and later reached more than $4,000.
Kolstad directed this support not only to the pizzas he kept out but also to a larger hunger relief effort. One recipient was Southern Anoka Community Assistance (SACA), a nonprofit food shelf operating for nearly fifty years in Columbia Heights and surrounding areas. SACA distributed over 950,000 pounds of food each year and helped 68,106 people in 2024 alone, with thirty-five percent being children. Demand for its services had grown by fifty-two percent since 2020.
Consequently, the Pizzeria owner’s act did not remain a small gesture. Instead, it became part of a wider network of help at a time when food costs kept rising and more families faced hardship.
His Efforts Reached Dozens of People Facing Food Insecurity
According to the restaurant owner, close to one hundred people have accepted his offer of food rather than search the dumpster since he began leaving pizzas. One day, an anonymous family sent a handwritten thank-you note praising his kindness and said it helped them during a difficult time.
Kolstad posted the letter online with a short caption: “This is why we do what we do.” The note showed how much a simple meal could mean when it replaced discarded leftovers. While the owner had never faced hunger himself, his work with people who had shaped his outlook. He explained that he could not stand by and watch someone go hungry while his restaurant prepared hot meals.