Media Inquiries

Contact Zach Nugent, Senior Media Relations Manager
znugent@2harvest.org
651-505-7102

Bringing More Food Where it's Needed During the Shutdown

As the nation’s second largest food bank, and a major hub for food distribution throughout the Midwest’s hunger relief network, Second Harvest Heartland has been closely following the government shutdown and proactively preparing for a surge in need.

Our number one priority is serving our neighbors and ensuring we can get as much food into our communities as possible.

As such, Second Harvest Heartland has taken the following steps as the government shutdown continues:

1. Increasing Food to Our Communities
   We are increasing the amount of food we are sourcing in order to get more food to our food shelf partners. Beginning the week of November 4, we will be increasing our inbound deliveries of food by 30%, this includes 24 truckloads of produce coming from 18 different growers.
2. Creating Emergency Food Boxes
   Our Volunteer Center is being used to build emergency food boxes, filled with shelf-stable staples, that will be available to our partners who need to get food into communities quickly.
3. Mobile Distributions
   In partnership, we are coordinating more pop-up food distributions throughout the community, including weekly distributions at MSP airport to help support federal workers during the government shutdown.
4. More Access for Partners
   We are offering more food pick-up and delivery options to our partners who need additional food, especially for weekend distributions.

This is an evolving situation, and we’ll continue to evaluate how we can support our neighbors in need – especially as we learn whether the federal government will fund SNAP benefits for the month of November.

Food has the power to unite us. And in this moment, we are calling on our community to unite around our neighbors in need. The best ways to offer support in this moment are through financial donations to your local food bank, like Second Harvest Heartland, or local food shelf; volunteer with your local food bank or food shelf; and use your voice to tell your lawmakers no one in this country deserves to go hungry. 

Boilerplate

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, we provided 145 million meals to neighbors last year. We also help families enroll in food assistance and provide prepared meals for people who need more than groceries. Second Harvest Heartland is a leader, convener and voice in hunger-related policy discussions. Learn more at 2harvest.org.

Facts and Stats

Spokespeople Available for Interview

Please contact Zach Nugent, Senior Media Relations Manager, at 651-505-7102 or znugent@2harvest.org to arrange an interview with any of the following Second Harvest Heartland leaders.

• 11/2/2025 'The demand is high': CEO of Second Harvest Heartland
• 10/22/2025 Food shelves brace for expected lapse in SNAP benefits
• 10/21/2025 Federal cuts have emptied Minnesota food shelves. Officials say things could get worse.
• 10/18/2025 VA, DAV & Second Harvest: Ending food insecurity for MN vets
• 10/15/2025 What does the future hold for hunger in Minnesota? Two nonprofit leaders weigh in
• 9/27/2025 Large scale food-distribution and community resource fair held at Allianz Field
• 9/24/2025 As the USDA terminates a key report on food insecurity, Minnesota groups scramble to keep up
• 8/18/2025 Food shelves warn federal cuts to aid will drive up hunger
• 8/8/2025 Minnesota food shelves are looking more like grocery stories, but federal cuts threaten their future
• 7/30/2025 New halal food shelf in Willmar serves immigrant families in need
• 7/24/2025 Federal cuts mean more Minnesotans will go hungry
• 7/15/2025 Minnesota families face tougher choices with cuts to food assistance programs
• 7/3/2025 Minnesota food shelves brace for impact of SNAP funding cut
• 7/2/2025 The Big Beautiful Bill would lead to more people going hungry in Minnesota
• 6/9/2025 What does it mean to end hunger, really?
• 6/5/2025 Local food shelves worried but undeterred by proposed SNAP cuts
• 4/1/2025 Americans have learned to live with less as consumer food budgets run out of slack
• 3/6/2025 Food insecurity on the rise in Minnesota
• 2/3/2025 Nearly 1 million Minnesotans could be going hungry
• 1/31/2025 New data shows 1 in 5 MN households is food insecure
• 1/31/2025 Food is often the second choice’: Nonprofit says food insecurity in Minnesota is getting worse
• 1/29/2025 New study: 20% of MN households are food insecure
• 1/29/2025 One-quarter of Minnesota households with children are food insecure