Government shutdown will impact those already in need

When the Minnesota state government shut down on July 1st, hungry individuals in our community were put at even greater risk of hunger.

• Unemployment rates will temporarily increase, putting extra strain on families.
• Some Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites are being forced to close, as the host schools rely on government funding to run summer programs.
• Meal programs that rely on government funding are being forced to shut down.

You can help ease the strain on affected families by:

• Fundraising on behalf of Second Harvest North Central Food Bank or another local hunger-relief organization.
• Make your donation online.
• Spreading the word about the shutdown impact on Minnesota families on Facebook or Twitter. Use hashtag #mnshutdown to track the conversation.
• Donate food to your local food shelf.

Feel free to contact Second Harvest North Central Food Bank with any questions. Thank you for your support during this particularly difficult time for so many of our neighbors.

Summer Hunger is Right Here



Clients wait for the Food Sheld to open its doors.


A year ago, the Grand Rapids Food Shelf extended days of operation from two days a week to five to accommodate for the continued increase of people in need-a reality that is showing no improvement this summer. Considering the unemployment rate for Grand Rapids is more than twice that of the state average, the need is great.  
Today, Second Harvest North Central Food Bank and the Grand Rapids Food Shelf help launch the Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless $100,000 Summer Challenge Grant. This means your donation to the Grand Rapids Food Shelf this July will have an even bigger impact because the challenge grant will proportionately match all donations made during the month of July. This is vitial to the Food Shelf in order to keep food on the shelves.
 
Click here to make a secure online donation.