Food shelf donations in March make bigger impact;
FoodShare Campaign is Mar. 1-April 6

Food shelf donations in March make big impact
By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | March 2026

If there’s any time of year to donate to your local food shelf, it’s in March due to the annual statewide FoodShare campaign, organized by Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches (GMCC). Held March 1-April 6 this year, it’s a friendly competition to help restock food shelves after the holidays and prepare for the busy summer months ahead. The more an individual food shelf raises, the more funding it gets from GMCC. Monetary donations provide the biggest bang for your buck because hunger relief programs can purchase food at wholesale prices.

Food shelves across the state have seen record-high demand since the pandemic shocked the economy in 2020. According to GMCC, there were an estimated 9 million visits at Minnesota food shelves in 2024, shattering the record of 7.5 million visits set in 2023, and dwarfing the 5.75 million visits made in 2022 and 3.6 million made in 2021. Statistics for 2025 were not available as of press time, however the record is expected to be broken again according to Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches spokesperson Julia Strautman. She said 63% of food shelves have preliminarily reported a significant increase in visits in the past year, and 27% have reported minor increases.

Neighborhood House, 179 Robie St. E., St. Paul, operates the Wellstone Center Food Market, which serves residents of Ramsey County. Last year, the organization raised $221,600 and 18,000 pounds of food, and its goal for this campaign is to raise $300,000 and 20,000 pounds of food. Donations may be dropped off at the center. Its Food Market Wish List features shelf-stable staples, including rice, canned tuna, pasta and peanut butter, and culturally specific items including corn flour, rice noodles and soy sauce. Last fiscal year, the market distributed 773,785 pounds of food to 19,183 families. People seeking to receive food at the Wellstone Center must make an appointment by calling 651-789-3630 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays. For more information, visit neighborhoodhousemn.org.

“Use of our food markets had already increased in 2025, then we had disruption to SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits, followed by the targeting of immigrant and refugee families by federal forces in Minnesota,” said Kristen Neurer, Neighborhood House vice president of advancement. “Families are fearful of leaving their homes, including for work, so needs are both financial and accessibility related… The crisis is not momentary, but one that will have
cascading impacts…. SNAP, the largest nutrition assistance program in the county, has been negatively impacted by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Effective November 1, 2025, the bill expanded work requirements and eliminated eligibility for certain non-citizens. The negative impacts to SNAP will force the 440,000 Minnesotans who relied on SNAP to find alternative ways to supplement their diets.”

Neighborhood House recently began offering a food delivery service for those who are unable or unwilling to visit the food shelf in person. Neurer said approximately 50% of the people using it haven’t used the nonprofit services before, and that they aim to deliver food five days per week.

Neighbors, Inc., 222 Grand Ave. W., South St. Paul,serves residents in northern Dakota County. Last year, the organization raised $196,857, and its goal for this campaign is to raise $200,000 and 50,000 pounds of food — three local families will match up to a combined $70,000. Donations may be dropped off at the lower level of Neighbors Inc., 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and financial donations can be mailed to Neighbors Inc. or made online at neighborsmn.org. Last fiscal year, the nonprofit distributed 1.28 million pounds of food to more than 40,000 households consisting of more than 35,500 children, 59,500 adults and 15,250 seniors. Those seeking to visit the food shelf must make an appointment at neighborsmn.org or by calling 651-455-5000.

“We expect the demand [for food shelves] to continue with the continued high price of groceries,” said Erin Roeske, Neighbors Inc. hunger program manager. “Since 2019, Neighbors has seen a 500% increase in the number of individuals served…. Since December 2025 we have been offering a third supplemental food distribution in our Neighbors Nook from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesdays. We also make essential food deliveries to those in need from a 10-mile distance from Neighbors, Inc., and provide 100 monthly snacks to children at Kaposia Library in South St. Paul.”

Statewide impact
Last year, the statewide initiative raised $10.1 million and 5.64 million pounds of food – down about $600,000 and 1.9 million pounds from 2024. The Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches was founded in 1905 with the mission of uniting people of faith to serve people in need. In addition to hunger relief services, it offers programs and services in youth development, senior support and more.

Make Hunger History
In 2023, Second Harvest Heartland, the nation’s third-largest food bank and one of the biggest nonprofits in the state, announced its “moonshot” initiative designed to help 90% of Minnesotans have food security by 2030. Dubbed Make Hunger History, it plans to achieve the goal by delivering more food to foodbanks, expanding its Care Center to assist more people applying to receive food, increasing fundraising efforts and advocating for governmental investments
that will cut costs of other basic living expenses, and more. According to its statewide hunger study completed in partnership with Wilder Research and released in January 2025, 1 in 5 Minnesota households cannot afford the food they need without using food assistance programs; another 1 in 5 worry they may experience food insecurity within the next year. Households with seniors or children are especially vulnerable to food insecurity. For more information, visit 2harvest.org.

Fare for All ends
The nonprofit The Food Group recently announced it is closing all of its metro area Fare for All food distribution sites due to federal funding cuts. The program offered packages of meat, fresh fruit and vegetables for up to 40% off retail cost. The Food Group also operates the Twin Cities Mobile Market, essentially a grocery store on a bus. This program will continue. The bus is stocked with 150 items, including fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, grains and more. Locally, you can find it each Thursday, 10:30-11:30 a.m., at 516 Humboldt Ave. on the West Side.