COVID-19 Grants Awarded to Food Shelves, Hunger Relief Organizations
Hunger Solutions Minnesota partnered with the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Minnesota Council of Foundations and the Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundations to distribute funding to food shelves and other hunger relief organizations to help them respond to rising needs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transportation Minnesota Food Shelf Program (MSFP) COVID-19 Grants
In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services Office of Economic Opportunity and the Minnesota State Legislature and Governor Walz, the Transportation Minnesota Food Shelf Program (MSFP) COVID-19 grant was created to help support food transport and distribution services during COVID-19 and $2.6 million was made available for Minnesota organizations. Hunger Solutions Minnesota and the MN DHS OEO released an application and received over 150 applications with requests exceeding $7.7 million.
To address the clear need for more transportation efforts to be funded, the State of Minnesota developed the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Transportation Grant. This funding was made available through the federal CARES Act. This additional emergency grant added $1.16 million to help support food transport and distribution services.
The Transportation Minnesota Food Shelf Program COVID-19 grant totaling $2.6 million was distributed amongst 82 organizations, and the $1.16 million of the CARES Act Transportation Grant was given to 31 organizations. In total, $3.7 million was distributed to 113 organizations to help support transporting food to those who need it.
Minnesota Food Shelf Program (MFSP) COVID-19 State Grant
The Minnesota Food Shelf Program (MFSP) COVID-19 State Grant was a one-time appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Office of Economic Opportunity (MN DHS OEO) and Hunger Solutions Minnesota.
Minnesota food shelves received $2.5 million to purchase food, diapers, toilet paper and other necessary supplies. Eligible food shelves each received $2,000 each in base funding with the remaining fund balance allocated using the Minnesota Food Shelf Program formula, which is based on number of individuals served.
Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund
Hunger Solutions Minnesota secured $250,000 in emergency COVID-19 funds in April from the Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund through the Minnesota Council on Foundations and Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.
Funds were made available to food shelves and community-based hunger relief partners working to address emerging community needs and service gaps due to the COVID-19 crisis. An equity lens was applied to the grant review process to address food system inequities that have been exacerbated by this current crisis. The purpose of these funds was to address the most pressing and immediate needs statewide.