Food shelves in North Minneapolis report unprecedented number of people in need
MINNEAPOLIS -- A record number of Minnesotans are in need of help from food shelves and that number is expected to rise, especially in North Minneapolis.
The Aldi store was one of only three grocery stores residents can shop on the city's north side, but earlier this week the chain announced it was closing its North Minneapolis location.
RELATED: Aldi in North Minneapolis permanently closing
The food shelf at the Camden Collective serves the Camden neighborhood in Minneapolis and leaders expect more people will be using its food shelve once the store closes.
It opened during the pandemic as a way to help support youth through tutoring, but added a food shelf in January 2021 to help struggling families.
The collective has a unique model in that it hires north-side youth to help give them real-world job experience.
The food shelf is only open for two hours on Saturday afternoons.
The Executive Director, Anna Gerdeen, said when they started the food shelf three years ago, they were helping 40 families, but now that number is up to 140.
Gerdeen said she wants to expand the hours but they need more funding to hire more staff and keep up with the growing demand.
She added it's been so hard, she recently stopped taking a paycheck to help pay the workers and to keep the food shelf going.
"I know that what we do is so important," she said. "I'm not going to quit. I just can't imagine leaving all these families in a lurch."
The Camden Collective isn't the only food shelf feeling the pinch and in desperate need for monetary donations. A new report from Hunger Solutions Minnesota shows food shelves across the state saw a record 5.5 million visits in 2022.
The nonprofit Good in the 'Hood has 30 pop-up programs in neighborhoods across the Twin Cities, with three more opening up soon to meet the growing demand. The programs help people with not just food but also shoes and holiday assistance.
Founder and Executive Director Shawn Morrison said last year they helped more than 130,000, which is up from the 98,000 in 2021.
While some of their food for the food shelve is donated, Morrison said their budget to buy the rest went up by 200 percent last year.
He said the pandemic, inflation, the supply chain and worker shortage are still problems and it will take years to fix them.
"It's going to be a long haul and I think we need to batten down the hatches and be very careful with how we spend our dollars and find innovative ways to bring in more dollars and more resources," he said.
Morrison also said they could use more monetary donations as well as volunteers. State lawmakers have taken the first step to help fight hunger in Minnesota.
The House passed a bill that would send $5 million to help feed more Minnesotans. It now goes to the Senate.