Hunger Free MN
Community can help neighbors in need by joining the movement to fight hunger.
Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, a regional hunger relief organization serving north central Minnesota, is pleased to announce it is a founding partner of Hunger-Free Minnesota. Officially launched on June 7, Hunger-Free Minnesota is a transformational, collaborative movement to fight hunger in our communities initiated by a coalition of partners united in the common belief that food is a basic and essential human right that every Minnesotan should have.
The coalition, which includes the six Feeding America Food Banks serving Minnesota, Hunger Solutions Minnesota and Greater Twin Cities United Way, came together after a series of five groundbreaking hunger-related studies conducted over the past 24 months shed light on hunger’s devastating, pervasive and costly grip on Minnesota. Among those studies is the Missing Meals Study, which found an annual shortfall of 100-million meals for low-income Minnesotans.
“The data in those studies made it clear that hunger has a stronger hold on Minnesota than we previously thought—a hold that is hurting our citizens, our communities and our economy,” said Sue Estee, Executive Director with Second Harvest North Central Food Bank. “And it led Second Harvest and all of Hunger-Free Minnesota’s founding partners to say, ‘enough is enough’. The bottom line is that it’s time for Minnesotans to band together and meet the needs of our hungry neighbors once and for all.” According to Estee, participating in Hunger-Free Minnesota is as easy as visiting www.hungerfreemn.org, where individuals can help their neighbors in need by joining the movement for a Minnesota where everyone has enough to eat. To learn more about Hunger-Free Minnesota, the five hunger-related studies or to join the movement, visit www.hungerfreemn.org.
About Second Harvest North Central Food Bank
Second Harvest North Central Food Bank serves 145 hunger relief agencies in Koochiching, Itasca, Cass, Aitkin, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties. Over 3.8 million pounds of food and grocery products were distributed through those agencies in 2010. For more information regarding Second Harvest North Central Food Bank, visit www.secondharvestncfb.com or call 218.326.4420.
About Hunger-Free Minnesota
Hunger-Free Minnesota is a transformational, collaborative movement of community and corporate partners working together to provide 100 million additional meals annually and sustainably for all Minnesotans in need. It was formed by a growing coalition of hunger-relief organizations in Minnesota united in the common belief that food is a basic and essential human right that every Minnesotan should have. The coalition includes the six Feeding America Food Banks serving Minnesota, including North Country Food Bank in Crookston, Minn.; Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank in Duluth, Minn.; Second Harvest North Central Food Bank in Grand Rapids, Minn.; Channel One Food Bank in Rochester, Minn.; Second Harvest Heartland in St. Paul, Minn.; and Great Plains Food Bank in Fargo, N.D., Hunger Solutions Minnesota and the Greater Twin Cities United Way. To learn more, read the hunger fact sheet and visit www.hungerfreemn.org.