North Country Food Bank is excited to partner with Second Harvest Heartland and all of the Minnesota food banks to work on SNAP Outreach. This work will help us to connect families with monthly grocery benefits that will help keep their families fed — especially in these difficult and uncertain times.
With food prices at an all-time high, it can be hard to make ends meet. SNAP is a federal program designed to make groceries more affordable for families. Through our work with Second Harvest Heartland, we will be able to help families struggling with hunger in northwest and west central Minnesota enroll in the program.
Today, more than 42 million Americans participate in SNAP. For every meal provided by our emergency food system, SNAP provides nine! SNAP participants receive a special debit card called an EBT card that’s loaded with funds. Each month, they can use it to buy nutritious groceries at local stores, farmer’s markets, and even online. The level of benefits depends on the person’s household size and income.
SNAP gives those struggling with hunger the power and freedom to purchase the food and ingredients they know and love, to access the nutrition that they need, to better manage their food budget, and to put income toward other necessary expenses. SNAP works alongside food shelves and food banks to ensure kids, seniors, and families have access to the food they need. North Country is excited to be able to participate in SNAP enrollment, because SNAP helps keep America fed and strengthens local communities by helping millions of families afford groceries. It also brings needed business to local grocers, generating $1.50 for every dollar invested.