

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carline Bengtsson.
Hi Carline, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was born on the Caribbean Island of Jamaica; moved to Minnesota as a child but consider myself a citizen of the world as I worked and lived in Europe (Switzerland), spending lots of time in Scandinavia and travels to Asia Pacific. I now reside in the beautiful little town of Lindstrom, located forty minutes northeast of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
I retired from corporate life following careers within the insurance, military avionics and medical technology industries at Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Honeywell and most recently Medtronic, where I was a people/program manager. I received my Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration and Art from Concordia University St. Paul, a Mini MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a Marketing Certificate from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton Executive Education Program. I grew up to marry a native Swede which sealed my affinity for the culture, language, country, and the American Swedish Institute (ASI) community at large.
Life as I knew it suddenly changed, the person I dated and was married to for half my life was suddenly taken away from me in early 2012. Each day brought new and unforeseen challenges, and I came to realize that one never moves on from grief but learns how to move forward with grief that brings with it moments of overwhelming sadness, laughter, and loving memories all wrapped up into a package of an earthly life, once treasured, but remains constant in life’s everyday moments.
One of these moments led to the creation and publication of my first cookbook. As a young girl I would watch my mother prepare meals in the kitchen, sometimes even providing her a helping hand. My passion for cooking didn’t come to light until several years later. Eating a good home-cooked meal was something I liked, and not much more than that. I always imagined that my artistic ability would lead me into the gallery space, providing unknown artists a venue for showing and sharing their work. Instead, I started using the dinner table as my own canvas and the food became my paint pallet, and choice of expression.
For years, my family and friends would say that I should open a restaurant and/or write a cookbook. Both suggestions were the furthest thoughts in my mind. But something clicked in me in the latter part of 2013 and was probably related to a Joel Osteen Sunday morning message, where he shared that God’s favor will put the right people at the right place and the right time for you. “Be conscious of God’s favor for you”, he stated. “He helps us in our everyday life.” “Acknowledge God and he will crown your efforts with success. ‘Live favor minded.” “Thank God in advance for assisting you; speak favor over your situation. ‘God will make His face shine down on you and let you go places you could not go on your own.” Psalm 5 v. 12 says, “For thou dost bless the righteous, O Lord, thou dost cover him with favor as with a shield.”
The following year Joel’s message came to life. During the summer of 2013, I made the conscious decision that it was time to bring my cooking talents beyond the comfort of my home. So, in turn, I asked these same family and friends if they were food critics, what they would have to say about my cooking. Their favorable reviews gave me the spark I needed to move forward, never expecting that my ideas would end up on the interior pages of a cookbook someday. That someday was realized fall of 2014 with a launch in January 2015.
During this time, I was continuing to grow in my career at Medtronic, a member of Concordia’s College of Business & Technology Advisory Council, The Alumni Council, The President Advisory Committee, and an active member in my community participating on three boards: The Saint Paul Schubert Club, The American Swedish Institute, and The Eastside Arts Council. My vision was to retire from Medtronic in 2023 with thirty years of service. But once again, God threw me a curve ball and had other plans for me.
This year marks ten years since the love of my life passed away, in February of 2012. Through wonderful friends, I met my husband of four years now; we married in June of 2018 and in September the following year, 2019, I was devasted by the loss of my job and retired from Medtronic to further pursue my two passions of helping others and creating memorable meals – establishing “Dine4Dinners” in 2020 (yes during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic) to combat hunger in partnership with organizations that provide meals for those in need of daily nourishment through dependable, reliable and sustainable sources.
In the weeks prior to my retirement from Medtronic, I had a handful of recognize points that I wanted to consume and searched the recognize system as to what these points could be utilized for – two food organizations came up on the list. One which I was very familiar with, Feed My Starving Children, which stated that my remaining recognize points would feed a child for Nineteen weeks. This was my second awe, awe moment, where I realized this was what I needed to do – use my cooking to give back to those in need. Remember, the first awe, awe moment was the realization to publish my first cookbook.
Unbeknownst to me, it was time to move on and flourish in a different way upon my departure from Medtronic. As I reflected on that year from Sept of 2019 to Sept of 2020, the words of Franklin Chang Diaz resonated with me – “Failure is a requirement for success.” For me it was not so much about failure but more from a posture of not attaining what I thought would put me in a successful position towards a goal of thirty years of service with my former employer. To be defined by one’s work, makes it difficult to see that which has been placed in one’s path while continuing to pursue that which has already been attained – a successful career with a successful company! The failure I felt with each “No” leading up to my departure from Medtronic, was needed for success in what was to come.
Hard to believe that it has been four years since I exited out the doors of my beloved company for the last time and within forty-eight months, I have moved forward to flourish and have successes in a different and gratifying way. The wheels were churning about what was to be, but I didn’t know that the journey I was about to embark on would lead to successes, I most likely would not have experienced had I received the “Yes” I craved, in my quest to remain three more years in medical technology. Each ‘No” was driving me in a direction towards my next purposeful chapter in this journey called life.
Life presents many opportunities to get us to our purposeful place – destination – a calling that tugs at your every being until clarity gives way to that which becomes effortless in living out your mission and purpose.
Every encounter, experience, situation, nagging feeling, encouragement or divine encounter led me to my purpose. Within eight months of leaving Medtronic, I launched my business, gave the commencement address at my alma mater, was appointed to the Economic Development Authority for my hometown city, was re-appointed to the Board of Trustee at the American Swedish Institute, and continue to be an active member on several other boards.
So, what am I saying? Fabienne Frederickson states, “The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.” And Stephen King shares… Be open to what could be. “…You can, You should, and if you’re brave enough to start, You will.”
Dine4Dinners launched Saturday, June 13, 2020! Yes, During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had my first customer, serving eight guests, with a total of 800 meals donated to Second Harvest Heartland.
I was inspired by the fact that I could use my talent of cooking and presentation of food to make the lives of others better for a day, a week, or a year through my dedication to combating hunger in collaboration with food organizations that have dependable, reliable, sustainable sources and resources to meet the needs of those suffering from food insecurity.
This journey was pre-set for me and became a reality through two major junctures in my life – the death of my husband and loss of my job, a.k.a (early retirement).
The day I decided to share my idea was the day I knew I had to fulfill this opportunity to give back to the population at large suffering from food insecurity.
The three individuals I initially shared my idea with, carried me through. The first individual has been involved in making a difference in communities across the US through his (Wayne Kostroski) annual high-profile hunger-related events such as “Taste of the NFL” and Taste Fore the Tour” to raise money for local food shelves. The second individual ended up becoming my first customer in June of 2020 and she, (Dr. Susan Hewitt) a leadership coach, offered to help in any way she could if I chose to go down the non-profit route. The other individual (Aimee Baxter Creek), she is my initial Ambassador who made a point of sitting me down to do some brainstorming on how to move forward and purposefully welcomed the opportunity to help me create the footprint for the website.
The journey to the launch of an in-home restaurant-style dining experience to pay it forward for those in need, was no small feat. I realized how many people were perfectly situated to help me along the way. You come to find out why people are placed in your life just at the right time. All the connections I’ve made throughout my life’s journey at work, friendships, and several board services elevated my cause through tangible support, which continues today.
In January of this year, Dine4Dinners hit a milestone of >104,000 meals donated in eighteen months of operation and have donated to date ~170,000 meals.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been a relatively smooth road. I have learned that one can do anything one puts their mind to, especially if it is an innate passion that one decides to put out there. I realized how many people were perfectly situated to help me along the way, and came to find out why people are placed in my life just at the right time. All the connections I made throughout my life’s journey at work, friendships, and several board services elevated my cause through tangible support, which continues today.
Considering the timing of launching Dine4Dinners (June 2020) during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was fortunate to not have encountered any obstacles per se other than the pandemic, which became a positive for my business as restaurants were shut down for several months and people really wanted to continue to share in a meal together. I had 19 dinners (avg 3/month), reaching 158 individuals (avg 8/dinner) and donating 30, 435 meals in the first six months of operation.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I have always had a passion for cooking. Being a leader in the community and giving back to others, came later in life, through understanding how to serve others from a place of empathy and goodwill. The pivotal moment that bridged my two passions of cooking and giving back came from a decision to donate a gift of recognition points to a local food organization – giving them the opportunity to provide 400 meals to feed the hungry. I realized my calling and blended my two loves: creating memorable meals and helping others to nourish their bodies and souls.
As the founder and sole proprietor at Dine4Dinners® the business model benefits both foodies and people in need of daily nourishment. Through the company’s initial flagship model of sharing in an in-home restaurant-style dining experience, approximately 170,000 meals have been donated to date to feed the hungry. Customers choose their experience ranging from brunch to dinner. They and their guests sit down to a gourmet in-home restaurant-style dining experience. Experiences translate to paying it forward. One-quarter of the net proceeds go to organizations that provide meals for those in need through dependable, reliable, and sustainable sources.
Several food organizations were and continue to be beneficiaries of donations in helping to feed people locally and across the country. Eighty percent of the total donations were given to the following five food organizations: Feed My Starving Children, Meals From The Heart, Feeding America, Second Harvest Heartland, and Feeding South Florida with other donations going to local community food shelves.
Through my community involvement, several organizations were also beneficiaries of donated dining experiences in support their annual fundraising for their respective causes. These organizations included Second Harvest Heartland, Vocal Essence, The Ordway, St. Agnes School, People Serving People, and American Heart Association.
My brand: Service to customers and community, translates to an exceptional dining experience for the customer and their guests, benefiting the community at large to combat hunger.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
COVID-19 exacerbated the effects on individuals and families dealing daily with food insecurity. Prior to the launch of Dine4Dinner® 1 in 9 suffered from food insecurity. Now it’s 1 in 10. At Dine4Dinners®, we strive to combat hunger in partnership with organizations that provide meals for those in need of daily nourishment through dependable, reliable, and sustainable sources. The face of hunger is all around us and every dollar donated can go a long way in curbing or reducing food insecurity.
Pricing:
- Dining Experience $125 per person (1/4 goes to food organization of client choice, balance purchases ingredients)
- Service Fee $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dine4dinners.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mosaicdelish/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlinesforkandcork
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mosaicdelish