Hunger Solutions Minnesota

HUNGER SOLUTIONS MINNESOTA IS A COMPREHENSIVE HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS TO END HUNGER IN MINNESOTA. WE TAKE ACTION TO ASSURE FOOD SECURITY FOR ALL MINNESOTANS BY SUPPORTING AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED, ADVANCING SOUND PUBLIC POLICY AND GUIDING GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY.

FOOD SHELF CAPACITYTO END HUNGER IN MINNESOTA, WE NEED A STRONG, RESPONSIVE EMERGENCY FOOD SYSTEM. HUNGER SOLUTIONS MINNESOTA WORKS TO BUILD FOOD SHELF CAPACITY SO FOOD SHELVES IN OUR STATE ARE BEST ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES.FOOD SHELF FUNDING: IN 2021, HUNGER SOLUTIONS MINNESOTA DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN $2 MILLION IN GRANTS TO 350 FOOD SHELVES THROUGHOUT MINNESOTA TO ENSURE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO FUNDING THEY NEED TO KEEP FOOD ON THEIR SHELVES AND THE DOORS OPEN TO THOSE IN THEIR COMMUNITY. THESE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDED THE MINNESOTA FOOD SHELF PROGRAM (MFSP) GRANTS, CULTURAL COLLABORATION AND EQUIPMENT GRANTS, AND THE CCRSA GRANTS.THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEFAP): HUNGER SOLUTIONS MINNESOTA PARTNERS WITH THE USDA, THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, FOOD BANKS, AND FOOD SHELVES TO ADMINISTER MINNESOTA'S TEFAP PROGRAM. IN 2021, HUNGER SOLUTIONS MINNESOTA DISTRIBUTED OVER 17 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD TO FOOD SHELVES AND ON-SITE MEAL PROGRAMS ACROSS MINNESOTA VIA TEFAP.

SNAP OUTREACHTHE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) IS THE LARGEST FEDERAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SUPPLEMENTING THE FOOD BUDGETS OF LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS SO THEY CAN PURCHASE FOOD THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS. THE PROGRAM SERVES AS THE FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST HUNGER. FOR EVERY MEAL PROVIDED BY THE NETWORK OF FOOD BANKS AND FOOD SHELVES, SNAP PROVIDES NINE MEALS.HUNGER SOLUTIONS MINNESOTA'S SNAP OUTREACH EFFORTS CONNECT PEOPLE WITH FOOD RESOURCES THROUGH THE MINNESOTA FOOD HELPLINE, MARKET BUCKS PROGRAM, AND SNAP RX.MINNESOTA FOOD HELPLINE IS AN OVER-THE-PHONE RESOURCES LINE THAT PROVIDES SNAP ELIGIBILITY SCREENINGS AND ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE, AND REFERRAL SERVICES TO OTHER FOOD RESOURCE PROGRAMS SUCH AS FOOD SHELVES, WIC, MEALS ON WHEELS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND MORE.IN 2021, THE MINNESOTA FOOD HELPLINE RECEIVED 12,546 CALLS TO THE HELPLINE. OF THOSE, OVER 1,372 CALLERS WERE SCREENED FOR SNAP. THE REMAINING CALLS WERE GIVEN INFORMATION ON OTHER RESOURCES OR PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE EBT SERVICE CENTER, THE PANDEMIC EBT (P-EBT) PROGRAM, LOCAL FOOD SHELF, AND MORE.THE MARKET BUCKS PROGRAM MATCHES SNAP CUSTOMER'S SPENDING UP TO $10 AT 87 PARTICIPATING FARMERS MARKETS STATEWIDE, ALLOWING CUSTOMERS TO STRETCH THEIR FOOD BUDGET TO BUY MORE FRESH, LOCAL, AND AFFORDABLE FOOD.IN 2021, OVER 17,000 SNAP CUSTOMERS SPENT $410,646 IN SNAP/EBT AND $208,246 IN MARKET BUCKS DURING THE SUMMER SEASON. THIS WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR THE PROGRAM, CREATING OVER $1,000,000 IN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY FOR THE STATE.SNAP RX STRENGTHENS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HEALTHCARE AND HUNGER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS. OUR PARTNERING CLINICS USE THE HUNGER VITAL SIGN SCREENING TOOL TO SCREEN THEIR PATIENTS FOR FOOD INSECURITY DURING ROUTINE CARE. PATIENTS WHO SCREEN POSITIVE FOR FOOD INSECURITY ARE REFERRED TO THE MINNESOTA FOOD HELPLINE AND CONNECTED WITH FOOD RESOURCES IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY.IN 2021, HUNGER SOLUTIONS MINNESOTA RECEIVED 1,184 PATIENT REFERRALS FROM OVER 80 CLINIC PARTNERS.

ADVOCACYSERVING AS THE ANTI-HUNGER COMMUNITY'S LEADING VOICE WITH LAWMAKERS, WE CHAMPION ENDING HUNGER THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY INTERVENTION AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE.KEY POLICY PRIORITIES OF 2021 WERE TO SUPPORT FOOD SHELVES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC; PROVIDE FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH TO ALL STUDENTS IN MINNESOTA, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES; DESIGNATE FUNDING FOR THE BUILD OF A NEW FOOD SHELF IN ST. PAUL; AND INCREASE ACCESS TO FOOD RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.