Washington DC Leadership to Visit St. Paul on Hunger Impact Tour

Washington DC Leadership to Visit St. Paul on Hunger Impact Tour

Representative Betty McCollum to tour Neighborhood House with USDA Undersecretary Kevin Concannon.

St. Paul, MN, March 25, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Hunger Solutions Minnesota and Neighborhood House have invited Representative Betty McCollum and Kevin Concannon, USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services to tour the food shelf and family center of Neighborhood House on Tuesday, March 26 at 2:00 ? 3:00 p m.

The food hardship rate in Minnesota remains high even though the economy is picking up steam. Nearly 14 percent of Minnesotans reported in 2012 not having enough money to buy food that they or their family needed. Hunger Solutions Minnesota leadership is concerned about the high level of need. Representative McCollum and Mr. Concannon were invited to the Twin Cities to discuss the local needs for hunger relief. Neighborhood House hunger relief programming is very comprehensive and is being shown as a model for the Midwest region. Emergency food providers and advocates from Illinois and Wisconsin will also participate in this tour.

?The rate of hunger is fairly stable from last year, but as with the traffic were are seeing at food shelves, it is unacceptable that so many people across Minnesota are struggling and cannot afford enough food to provide for their families,? said Colleen Moriarty, Executive Director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota. ?These numbers show us that we must make our state?s and nation?s safety nets stronger, not weaker. We can?t afford to leave these vulnerable people behind.?

More than 8,200 people a day seek assistance from food shelves in Minnesota. Food shelf visits have increased 164% in the last decade. There were over 3 million visits in 2012. Forty percent of those visits served children and 7 percent served seniors.

The Minnesota Legislature is considering bills that will add $1,000,000 in support to the Minnesota Food Shelf Program. Persistent unemployment and stagnant wages are driving more Minnesotans to their local food shelf as well as to their county office to look for assistance.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) use in Minnesota is also increasing. An estimated 545,000 Minnesota residents are enrolled in SNAP (formerly Food Stamps). More than 68% are in families with children, 26% are in families with seniors or disabled members, and almost 44% are in working families.

Neighborhood House Tour
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
2:00-3:00 pm
Neighborhood House @ the Wellstone Center, 179 Robie Street East, Saint Paul

Speakers: Representative Betty McCollum, USDA Undersecretary Concannon, Armando Camacho, Neighborhood House President, & Colleen Moriarty, Executive Director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota.

About Hunger Solutions Minnesota
Hunger Solutions Minnesota is a comprehensive hunger relief organization that works to end hunger in Minnesota. We take action to assure food security for all Minnesotans by supporting over 300 agencies that provide food to those in need, advancing sound public policy, and guiding grassroots advocacy. HSM advocates for the maximum use of all federal public nutrition dollars available and works to improve low income Minnesotans? access to all nutrition programs. The HSM Minnesota Food HelpLine (1-888-711-1151) helps enroll low-income Minnesotans in SNAP (Food Stamps) and helps callers find emergency food assistance in their area. For further information, visit http://www.hungersolutions.org/ or call 651-789-9843.

About Neighborhood House
Neighborhood House, a nonprofit organization based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, helps people, families and organizations develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive in diverse communities. Neighborhood House has been a multicultural, multilingual resource network for immigrants, refugees, and low-income families since 1897. Housed in the Wellstone Center with six Family Centers located throughout the city, Neighborhood House provides basic needs resources, lifelong learning programs, and community-building opportunities to nearly 15,000 people each year. Learn more at www.neighb.org.

About USDA Food Assistance Programs
Food assistance programs increase food security and reduce hunger by providing children and low-income people access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition. SNAP serves as the first line of defense against hunger by helping low-income families buy nutritious food. The USDA also supplies 12 million pounds of high quality food via The Emergency Food Assistance Program to Minnesota food shelves every year. For more information visit: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?navid=FOOD_ASSISTANCE&navtype=RT&parentnav=FOOD_NUTRITION

Source: http://www.pr.com/press-release/480913

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