Visits to the Cook County Food Shelf and Ruby’s Pantry are on the rise, and with winter firmly here and more cold and snow coming, the need for food will likely grow.
The reasons for this are many, but with Cook County largely being a tourist-based economy and with fewer tourists here in the winter than in the summer, there is less work. Also, restaurant and bar workers haven’t received a paycheck in almost two months because the government shut down.
When asked if the number of people needing help has increased from previous years, Cook County Public Health and Human Resources Director Alison McIntyre responded, “The number of people receiving food assistance in Cook County has increased during the pandemic. In December 2020, there were 167 households receiving cash and nutrition assistance through PHHS compared to 154 in December 2019.
“In addition to the increase in households receiving SNAP, many more people in the community are accessing nutrition assistance through programs through AEOA and Ruby’s Pantry food distributions, Pandemic EBT and other COVID-19 related food programs.”
Primarily driven by the effects of the pandemic, food insecurity across the state has risen dramatically. In 2020, visits to Minnesota food shelves reached an all-time high, with more than 3.75 million people receiving help.
Gwen Lenz, volunteer coordinator for the Cook County Food Shelf, points to not only a rise in people visiting the food shelf, but “People are realizing that job, school and food insecurities are going to last longer than they expected. Our numbers have gone up, but so has a lack of access to some food items.”
Fresh fruit and vegetables are sometimes in short supply at the food shelf.
“The first Monday of the month, the Food Shelf has fresh produce sent from Second Harvest in Duluth, so many households come,” said Lenz, noting that for families “Fresh items like these are expensive.”
For households that are changing jobs or lucky enough to find a new job, “They usually don’t get a paycheck for as long as two weeks. Up here, we have a “between” season. Jobs are also “between” seasons,” said Lenz.
A recent drive to donate personal care items to the Food Shelf by employees at North Shore Health (hospital employees) filled a significant need. Lenz explained, “Households are given vouchers for “food,” but those vouchers cannot be used for soap, toothpaste, shampoo, tissue of any kind, (think of the ‘flu’ season) and skincare items. We are grateful for the donation of those items.”
And some individuals donate pet food, which helps because pet food is not covered by any supplemental program.
As for seniors on fixed incomes? “The Food Shelf has contact information on programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Nutritional Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS). The Food Shelf does not handle these programs; any information is given only to that program director from you, personally.
“I have received many calls from concerned community members. We’re doing OK. I just worry about those households who don’t know we are here to help, and we are being very careful about wearing masks, keeping social distancing in mind, and wiping down touched items.,” Lenz said.
With underemployment or no employment, the worse is yet to come. However, the state legislature is working to pass a plan to expand meals to all high-poverty schools and not just feed the kids who qualify for low cost or free meals.
Hunger Solutions Minnesota is championing the fight to end food insecurity in the state.
Leah Gardner, policy director for Hunger Solutions Minnesota, met with the Minnesota Legislature through Zoom on January 6, 2021. She told the lawmakers that her organization would like to see an increase in the income threshold so more families could receive SNAP benefits. Because SNAP is federally funded, she said increasing the SNAP’s income threshold wouldn’t hurt the state’s budget.
Gardener also told legislators that long-term, HSM would like to see all children receive free lunches regardless of their families’ income.
This would keep families struggling from school lunch debt if they fall into poverty, said Gardner.
The federal shutdown has sped up supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Most February SNAP benefits have been given out early and are early payment, not a bonus or anything extra.
If you need food but don’t think you qualify for SNAP benefits, you could be wrong. Each person’s circumstances are different. Call the Minnesota Food Helpline to find out if you are eligible for SNAP. The number is 1-888-711-1151.
In 2019 the nation’s food insecurity was 10.5 percent. During that same year, 8.3 percent of Minnesota households were food insecure. Minnesota’s food insecurity was fourth in the country in 2019, the fourth-lowest in the nation behind New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Iowa and tied with North Dakota.
To be considered food insecure means you are worried that your household food will run out before you get paid, or you don’t have nutritious food to eat. Skipping meals more than three times a month to make ends meet also qualifies.
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