Hunger is Here.
Don't Look Away.

By Chris Beach

The holiday season has a way of reminding us what matters most—family, gratitude, and simple joys like sharing a meal. At home, I see that joy in my children. At the Minneapolis Foundation, I see it in the generosity that flows from our fundholders at the close of each year.

The work we do together is more important than ever. Community needs are high and rising, and Minnesota’s nonprofit sector is navigating a period of great uncertainty.

Every December, the Minneapolis Foundation’s team is busy supporting our fundholders and their professional advisors with year-end grantmaking. While many of you already know exactly which causes and organizations you’ll champion during this critical season for our community, we know that isn’t the case for everyone. If you’re still searching for a way to make a difference in 2025, let me offer this:

This year, as many of us gather around full tables, far too many of our neighbors are unsure where their next meal will come from.

Hunger is here, and it’s affecting people you know. The good news? Every one of us can make a real, immediate difference.

Nearly 450,000 Minnesotans count on SNAP to help put food on the table. During the government shutdown, those individuals and families faced delays in receiving critical benefits. Even now, with the government open and November SNAP payments distributed, unprecedented federal cuts approved this summer mean many will receive less support moving forward. These cuts—the largest to federal food assistance in history—place 32,000 Minnesota families and seniors at risk of losing some or all the help they depend on.

The timing couldn’t be worse:

• Minnesotans need more food support. The Food Group, a Minnesota-based organization that works with more than 200 food shelves and hunger-fighting agencies to supply free and affordable food, reported in February that visits to food shelves increased 133% from 2020 to 2024, reaching a new record high of nearly 9 million visits in 2024.
• The cost of groceries is rising. As of August, the average price of food rose 3.2% in the Midwest over the past year, with a 6% jump in price for meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
• Delayed SNAP support strained the state’s hunger relief system as more Minnesotans visited food shelves. This, combined with fewer in-kind donations from grocers and producers, means there isn’t enough food in the system.
• Housing costs have also increased, making it difficult for low-income Minnesotans to stay housed and afford food.

These aren’t statistics. They’re our neighbors. With one in five people receiving SNAP benefits, you know someone who relies on SNAP—whether you realize it or not. Food banks like The Food Group and Second Harvest Heartland and numerous food shelves across Minnesota are working tirelessly to support communities and ensure our neighbors have food.

But the reality is clear: For each person the food banks and shelves can feed, SNAP feeds nine.

It’s going to take our entire community to cope with this crisis. Here are three ways you can help:

1. Give to your local food shelf
Local food shelves are on the front lines of this crisis. They know their communities, they see the surge in need firsthand, and they need immediate support to keep their shelves stocked. Find your nearest food shelf.

2. Support food bank partners
Food banks are crucial in fighting hunger, serving as a central hub for collecting and distributing food. Here are two key food banks in Minnesota:

• The Food Group provides nutritious and quality foods to people across more than 30 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin. They distribute food to local food shelves and meal programs, offer affordable grocery programs, and support farmers, in addition to advocating for systemic change in our food systems.
• Second Harvest Heartland is a leading hunger-relief organization. In partnership with more than 1,000 food shelves and hunger-relief programs in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, they provide more than 145 million meals to neighbors. Second Harvest also helps families enroll in food assistance and provides prepared meals for people who need more than groceries.

3. Learn from what’s happening on the ground
We recently surveyed six food shelves that serve diverse communities across the region. All reported record demand, strained budgets, and an urgent need for flexible philanthropic support.

Year-end is a time to pause, reflect, and celebrate. It’s also a time to remember those in need.

Don’t let the end of the year pass you by. Now is the time. These are your neighbors. And whether you are a fundholder at the Minneapolis Foundation, an advisor to charitable clients, or simply a Minnesotan who cares, you are exactly the person who can help make a difference. Email psadmin@mplsfoundation.org if you are looking for immediate support with your grantmaking this year.

Visit GiveAdvised.org or contact us to learn more.

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Chris Beach
Senior Vice President, Philanthropic Services