Minnesota man on Salvation Army food shelf in St. Paul: "It really has been a godsend"
More and more Minnesota families are struggling to put food on the table. The Salvation Army is working to stop the hardship.
Hunger relief in a box kept rolling out at the Salvation Army food shelf in St. Paul on Friday, the busiest day of the week at the facility on West Seventh Street.
Volunteers were hustling to load up more than 50 pounds of produce, bread and other essentials in each box. About 300 boxes were distributed on Friday, but the location helps about 500 families get by each week.
Keith, in his late 60's and struggling with arthritis, was in line on Friday. He lives on $200 dollars of food assistance a month. He's also taking care of three nieces and nephews.
"It has really been a godsend to be able to come here and kind of gap-fill my food needs throughout the month," he said.
A recent survey found that one in five Minnesota families visits a food bank. The Salvation Army says the number of clients it serves has tripled when compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Income is not what it used to be, and so now, more than ever, it's critical that people patch in and help each other," said Keith.
For those capable of giving back, the Salvation Army is aiming to raise $600,000, or food equivalent, as part of its Meals 4 Minnesota campaign. The effort will keep their nine metro food shelves stocked for the next three months, each of them the busiest they've ever been.
"No one's turned away. No qualifications. If you're in need, please come," said Captain Josh Polanco, the Twin Cities commander. "This is why we're here. We want to be a good neighbor to, really, our communities that are struggling right now."
If money is tight, there are other ways to give back. Dick Mumbleau has been volunteering for the Salvation Army for more than two decades. His role involves visiting area grocery stores to pick up "rescue food," which means items that are about to expire or have a slight defect.
"Maybe an egg case is broken. There's one broken egg, they can't sell that, but the people here sure will take it," Mumbleau said.
A dedicated servant, Mumbleau hopes others will follow in his footsteps.
"Come on down and join me. There's lot of space in the van. There's need for muscle, but there's also a need for just people who aren't physically able to do some of those things," he said.
The Twin Cities Salvation Army served nine million families in 2024, which they said is a 20% increase from the previous year.
You can help tackle the hunger crisis in Minnesota. WCCO has teamed up with the Salvation Army for the Meals 4 Minnesota Campaign. Now through March 27, you can drop off non-perishable items at one of 50 locations around the metro. Click here to learn more about the campaign and drop-off locations.
