Hunger is on the rise in Minnesota and visits to food shelves in the first three months of this year were up 28 percent over last year, according to a new study from Hunger Solutions. More than 237,000 children visited food shelves with their families in that time, making it tough for local food pantries to stay stocked.

Colleen Moriarty, who is the executive director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota, blames the increase on the recession, increased food prices and unemployment that has shot up to above eight percent this year. However, she says, with all the federal resources available, no one in Minnesota should have an empty belly.

“Accessing those federal programs will lessen some of the burden on the food shelves, because they were never set up to meet this kind of dramatic need.”

Food agencies have doled out aid to a record 614,000 people this quarter alone.

Moriarty says that, with so many burdens during this recession, hunger doesn’t need to be one of those worries.

“We don’t want to find seniors who are making a choice between food or medicine, or children that are going unfed this summer, so please give us a call and let us help you.”

Hunger Solutions Minnesota reports that the number of seniors visiting food shelves is also up from last year; 67,000 use food shelves regularly.

Minnesotans at risk for hunger can call the Minnesota Food HelpLine at 1-888-711-1151 for help with the food stamp program and referrals to emergency food assistance in their areas.

Public News Service