Minnesota food shelves see record need

Canned foods
Food shelf workers say they appreciate donations of canned foods. Families like to have these non-perishable items on hand to make sure they have enough food to make it until the next paycheck.
MPR Photo/Greta Cunningham

Minnesota foodshelves continue to see record numbers of families needing assistance.

Yet even with the high demand, the state's foodshelves have been able to keep up so far.

Sue Kainz, with Minnesota FoodShare, said, as far as she knows, no one has been turned away.

"That's not to say as these holidays get closer, people wait until the last minute. I would suggest that if families really need help during the holidays that they would seek out those community's services now, before those lines get too long and the lists get too filled up," Kainz said.

Kainz said some food shelves have had to cut back on the amount of food being given out in order to meet the demand. On average, the organization is seeing a 15 percent increase in foodshelf use this fall, she said.

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