Food bank officials are warning that Minnesota’s food shelves could face a severe strain if the federal government shutdown continues and SNAP benefits are delayed next month.
Zach Rodvold of Second Harvest Heartland said the situation was already critical before the shutdown. “We’re already seeing lines out the door at food shelves. They’re running out of food in some places and in some cases because there is not enough to meet today’s demand. If we’re in an extended shutdown and adding tens or hundreds of thousands more people to the lines, it’s gonna create a catastrophe,” Rodvold said.
Approximately 450,000 Minnesotans could be affected if SNAP benefits are not issued in November. Rodvold added that while food banks will continue distributing what they can, the supply is not growing fast enough to meet rising demand.
Second Harvest Heartland distributed 167 million pounds of food in 2024, but Rodvold emphasized that coming up with enough additional food to meet a surge in need would be unsustainable.
Prior to the shutdown, SNAP benefits had already been reduced, increasing reliance on food shelves. Rodvold warned that without immediate action, the state could see unprecedented lines at food banks.
