In 2021, one in every nine people in our state, including one in six Minnesota kids, is classified as food insecure, meaning they have “limited or uncertain access to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Moreover, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) households in Minnesota are more than twice as likely to experience food insecurity than are white households. This inequity is what scholars, activists, and advocates have come to call the hunger divide. Second Harvest Heartland is just one organization working to address this issue and bring attention to the latest research, new and innovate strategies, best practices, policy prescriptions, and other vital resources available to help bridge this gap. In the meantime, there is immediate help available to anyone that is struggling to put food on the table.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, supports qualifying households by significantly increasing their monthly food budget. If you are a resident of Ramsey or Washington counties and need assistance buying groceries, please call Community Action’s Food Support program at 651-603-5883, email foodsupport@caprw.org, or visit us online. For those that reside in other counties, the Minnesota Department of Human Services can help you access SNAP benefits as well as COVID-19 emergency food support and other nutrition programs. And, to connect to additional food resources, including local food shelves and TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program), please call the Minnesota Food Help Line at 888-711-1151.
