Donate
Volunteer
Participate

Child Hunger Initiative

Children eating lunch at school.Childhood hunger in Minnesota is a serious and prevalent issue that can affect both kids’ day-to-day lives and their long-term ability to succeed. When children are hungry, anxiety and poor behaviors rise, learning is compromised, and physical and mental development can be affected.

Second Harvest Heartland understands how hunger can destabilize families and is committed to increasing access to food resources in our communities. To achieve this, we partner with schools, school districts, community partners, and other pertinent stakeholders to boost participation in meal programs, by increasing access and improving the quality of programs, and through advocacy to expand initiatives statewide.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for grant announcements, information on meal programs and food resources, and local best practices spotlights!

Subscribe

* indicates required
Email Format

Minnesota Child Hunger Facts

  • More than 200,000 meals are missed by children in Minnesota each year
  • While 1 in 8 Minnesota children struggled with hunger in 2019, COVID-19 has increased hunger in our communities dramatically, with a projected 1 in 5 Minnesota children expected to face food insecurity in the coming months
  • Nearly twice as many suburban children are food insecure, compared to urban children
Food resources for you and your family
Food resources for school and community partners

Child hunger facts in Minnesota. 1 in 5 Minnesota kids is at risk of hunger. 33% of people we serve are children. Child hunger is widespread. When kids are hungry, their grades suffer. 40% of kids rely on free or reduced-price lunches, leaving them hungry during summer.

*Funding provided by the State of Minnesota.

Take action now. Donate Volunteer Participate