Minnesota Ag Connection - Walz Announces Outreach Campaign to Fight Hunger

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Walz Announces Outreach Campaign to Fight Hunger
Minnesota Ag Connection - 02/24/2021

Governor Tim Walz Tuesday announced a new outreach campaign for Minnesotans struggling to afford nutritious food for themselves and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign will connect families with personalized assistance and information about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

"No family should go hungry in Minnesota," said Walz. "By connecting Minnesotans with resources and support, this public-private partnership will fight hunger and help families stay safe and healthy. I'm incredibly grateful to our partners, like General Mills, who stepped up to support their communities when they saw a need."

"Throughout this pandemic more Minnesotans than ever before have experienced food insecurity," said Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan. "I know firsthand how SNAP benefits can be a tremendous help to people -- growing up, my family relied on SNAP to make sure there was food on the table. But I also know the process can be hard to navigate. Thanks to our Department of Human Services and the General Mills team, getting help with groceries will be easier than ever before for Minnesotans."

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) collaborated with General Mills to develop the SNAP Campaign focused on families with children who have faced increasing food insecurity over the last year. The campaign will use digital marketing to direct interested people to www.mnfoodhelper.org, which connects them to one of the department's 32 contracted SNAP specialist partners. This statewide network of partners offers SNAP information and personalized application assistance in all 87 counties. The department and General Mills are working with community partners, providing guidance and a SNAP toolkit to empower communities to talk about SNAP benefits.

"The SNAP campaign will connect hungry Minnesotans to SNAP benefits, drawing on the strength of this public-private partnership," said Human Services Commissioner Jodi Harpstead. "Ensuring that Minnesotans have the resources they need to put food on the table is critically important during this pandemic."

With food assistance in high demand due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, DHS and its partners have worked to increase food support and make it more accessible. With increased unemployment and reduced working hours, many Minnesotans are facing tight budgets and are struggling to pay for food. SNAP offers monthly food benefits based on a household's income, expenses, and number of people.

"At General Mills, we're committed to putting a stop to hunger," said Brad Hiranaga, chief brand officer for General Mills. "Through our partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services, we hope to bring this important issue forward, reach families that need food assistance and increase awareness for SNAP."

In addition to providing pro bono assistance, General Mills partnered with local agencies Martin Williams and Ovative Group to develop a campaign aimed at connecting the most Minnesotans with the benefits of SNAP.

For more information on SNAP, visit the COVID-19 emergency food support webpage.

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