No matter where you are in Minnesota, everyone should be able to access food that is good and good for us. But 1 in 5 residents are facing hunger insecurity every day. We can implement the programs and policies we need to end hunger in our state by coming together.
On March 8, Mississippi Market Co-op sponsored and attended Hunger Day on the Hill. This day is the opportunity for organizations and individuals fighting to end hunger to get together and advocate for policies that ensure all Minnesotans have access to the food we need. By joining forces, we increase our impact and push the fight against hunger to the forefront of legislative priorities.
Mississippi Market Co-op sent staff to advocate for the Fresh Bucks program – an essential initiative that directly impacts the well-being of our neighbors. It would expand the existing Market Bucks model to pilot Fresh Bucks, a SNAP discount program offering 50% off fresh produce at grocery stores. We met with Rep. Liz Lee, Rep. Kaohly Vang Her, Sen. Erin Murphy, and Sen. Foung Hawj who represent our store neighborhoods.
Talking with Sen. Erin Murphy was an inspiring way to start the day. She had the opportunity to hear from Second Harvest Heartland, who shared eye-opening facts about food insecurity in Minnesota. This gave us the chance to highlight the co-op’s impact. As a strong advocate for anti-hunger initiatives, Sen. Murphy emphasized the importance of showing up as individuals and as a community. She encouraged us to share our experiences with legislators and neighbors, reinforcing the power of personal stories in driving change.
The conversation with Rep. Liz Lee centered on securing sustained funding for our local food shelf system and advocating for the Fresh Bucks Pilot program. It was heartening to see the care and attention Rep. Lee gave to our concerns despite the many demands placed on our policymakers.
We also got the chance to speak with Sen. Foung Hawj, and his response was nothing short of powerful. Sen. Hawj not only voiced his support for the bills but also expressed interest in becoming an author. He shared a personal connection to the cause, recalling how he benefited from similar funding as a child. His words to us were: “We are on the same team.”
Our conversation with Rep. Kaohly Vang Her was equally empowering. Her continued support of hunger relief issues means that she was open to hearing about the policies put forward for Hunger Day on the Hill. She shared her belief that food is medicine and acknowledged how essential it is to have access to healthy food choices. She agreed to sign as a co-author for all the policies we presented.
Our larger group was filled with powerful stories from Eastside residents — Rev. Paul from Loaves and Fishes food shelf spoke of serving the youth at Conway Rec. Center who are participating in Sanneh Foundation after-school programs; a Ramsey County hunger data analyst said of the significant growth of our neighbors utilizing SNAP, WIC, and EBT; and staff from CLUES Canasta Familiar explained the hardships they are facing in serving their 300 families with $400 a week in funding; Neighborhood House and Second Harvest Heartland reiterated the need for sustained funding for food shelves to do what they do best – feed people and prop up community. These are organizations and individuals who are the heart of our community.
It was especially meaningful to reconnect with Sen. Hawj, who has a deep history with our co-op. The senator was a founding member of Gateway Food Co-op, which eventually led to the development of the East 7th store. His ongoing commitment to our neighborhood reflects the power of community and the impact of collective action. In this challenging time, we are not alone in fighting to end hunger in Minnesota.
This was a part of Mississippi Market Co-op’s MN Foodshare Month! Find out more ways you can take action to end hunger here.