Get FREE Christmas Gifts and Food in Minnesota!

If you’re looking for free Christmas gifts in Minnesota, the organizations on this list can help! We have found several organizations that can help you get free Christmas gifts, toys, food and more this holiday season.

After all, we know firsthand how frustrating it is when you can’t provide your kiddos with a huge holiday celebration. Back in 2007 and 2008, my family relied on programs like this in order to get gifts for our young child. Watching his face brighten up as he unwrapped the gifts generously provided by strangers made all the difference to our holiday celebration!

Get Free Christmas Gifts in Minnesota

Many churches, charities and nonprofits provide free Christmas gifts and food in Minnesota. No matter what part of the state you’re in, you may be able to find help through national agencies. These agencies often have local branches that might be able to help with free gifts and food during the holiday season.

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army provides help for low income families who qualify for free Christmas gifts. They also have programs that may be able to provide you with a hot meal or a grocery box for the holidays as well.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Gifts are typically provided for children only, although sometimes seniors are also included. Meals are typically provided at congregate meal sites for anyone who wants to join.

HOW TO APPLY: You can register for free Christmas gifts online using the Angel Tree website. Some areas don’t accept online applications, though, so depending on where you live you may need to contact your local Salvation Army directly.

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots plays a significant role in spreading holiday cheer among families facing financial challenges. Managed by the Marine Corps Reserve, this program collects new, unwrapped toys and distributes them to children in need across the state. Its aim is to ensure that every child in Minnesota has a present to open on Christmas morning, thus making the holiday season a little brighter.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Toys for Tots typically helps children who are age 12 or under, although age limits may vary by location. You also have to live in a covered county, but 41 counties in Minnesota are not covered by this program.

HOW TO APPLY: Go to the Toys for Tots website and click on the “Request a Toy” button. Select Minnesota from the drop down menu and then choose your county.

Other Christmas Help

There are even more nationwide programs that can brighten your holiday celebration! These providers may offer you free Christmas gifts, food, and even decorated trees if you need them. We don’t want to repeat the whole list here so be sure to check our Nationwide Free Christmas Resource List for even more ways to get free Christmas gifts in Minnesota!

Local Christmas Assistance in Minnesota

You can get help through your county for free Christmas gifts and food in Minnesota. In fact, some of the best resources we’ve found are in the various counties throughout the state. You could get help from organizations like food banks and missions.

If you don’t see your local county in the list below, be sure to let us know in a comment and let us know. Our researchers will take a peek and see if we can find anything new to add to our list.

Anoka County

Christmas Committee in Anoka provides free Christmas gifts, food and more for low income families in north Anoka County. Their gifts may include new books, toys, food and more. They help over 2,000 children each year! Applications open on October 1 and must be submitted by mid-November, so it’s important to act fast.

This program only serves clients who live in the following cities: Andover, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Bethel, Blaine, Burns, Cedar, Circle Pines, East Bethel, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Nowthen, Oak Grove, Ramsey, St. Frances, Stacey and Wyoming. They do NOT serve south Anoka County, Hennepin County or Sherburne County.

Hennepin County

CROSS Services in Rogers has a toy shop that low income families can visit. This shop can provide free gifts, blankets, toys, and gift cards for your children. These aren’t exclusively Christmas gifts, either. They’ll give you gifts for whatever holiday you celebrate! They also allow families to shop for free birthday gifts and party supplies as well.

Hospitality House Youth Development in Minneapolis operates a program called Christmas with Dignity. This program invites parents to shop for their children from a discounted store. Presents are priced at a 90% discount, which means they only cost about 10 cents per dollar value. This empowers low income parents to buy gifts that they otherwise couldn’t afford. You must provide a photo ID and birth certificate for each child to participate. This event takes place in early December each year.

Little Kitchen Food Shelf in Minneapolis serves anyone in need. They provide food and may also provide hygiene items, baby food, pet food and baby formula depending on donations.

Sharing and Caring Hands in Minneapolis has many services that help low income people in the area. Although Christmas services aren’t listed exclusively on their website, other resource directories have indicated that they have a Christmas program. Their website also says that “you can get “any request can be made,” even if it isn’t listed on the website. It never hurts to ask!

Jackson County

Lakefield MN Food Shelf in Lakefield offers Christmas meals to low income individuals and families in their area. If your children are eligible, they may be able to get up to two gifts from the Sharing Tree Tags program that they run in conjunction with the City Hall. You will need to register with their program in advance to get help.

Watonwan County

Watonwan County Food Shelf in St. James distributes food to those who need it. You can pick up items once per calendar month. They may provide meals during the holidays. 

Relief Recap

If you need free Christmas gifts or other holiday assistance in Minnesota, there are many resources that can help you. These include major well-known assistance programs like Toys for Tots as well as smaller local programs like Sharing and Caring Hands.

At Low Income Relief, we’re constantly researching low income assistance programs. When we find new organizations that provide Christmas help in your area, we’ll update this list. Be sure to bookmark it so don’t miss any new opportunities next year!

Nicole Thelin

Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.