The Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign kicked off on Friday, Feb. 24, with possible impact on the 16,621 people who access North Eastern Minnesota food shelves.
Now in its 35th year, this annual campaign allows Minnesota food shelves to raise funds and food during the Feb. 24 – April 2, 2017 campaign that will be matched proportionately through funds raised by the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign.
“It’s a great time to give to your local food shelf,” said Shaye Moris of the Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. “These extra gifts allow food shelves in northeast Minnesota to leverage additional support to feed people in their local communities.”
Each month an average 16,621 individuals access one of 40 regional food shelves served by Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank. Within the food bank’s eight county service area (St. Louis, Carlton, Lake and Cook counties in Minnesota; Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron counties in Wisconsin) food insecurity is higher than the state average (with the exception of Cook). The child food insecurity rate is higher than the state average in all Northland counties.
While the economy is said to have improved in Minnesota, food shelves have provided service to over 3 million households over the last six years. And, the number of seniors who have sought hunger relief has doubled since 2009.
“Fortunately, hunger is a problem that can be easily solved,” Moris stated. “Both funds and food will help our food shelves support the needs of families, children and seniors in our region.”
About Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank
Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank is the region’s only food bank and rescuer of nationally and regionally donated food for 180 nonprofit programs and approximately 44,000 people in need throughout NE Minnesota.
In addition to providing food to other nonprofit programs, Second Harvest provides service to over 3,300 people per month as part of its Hermantown Area Food Shelf, Mobile Food Pantry, Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAP) and BackPack Programs. Over the last year, Second Harvest has rescued and distributed 5.5 million pounds of food or enough food for 4.4 million meals throughout the Northland. To learn more visit www.northernlakesfoodbank.org.
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