Food Bank faces dire straits

Food banks are being tested by this pandemic

The vehicle./// minnesota families are struggling to put food on the table... and coronavirus has only made matters worse.

K?

"*i?

"*m?

"*t's anthony mon us how channel one food bank is helping fight hunger in rochester.

Minnesota food pantries have a growing pandemic problem.

"pre?

"*pandemic... one in 11 minnesotans was hungry... post?

"*pandemic... it's one in eight."

With coronavirus wreaking havoc on job markets and food markets alike... people are finding it harder to feed their families... while farmers struggle to get their products to market.

"we know that farmers, of course, were hit hard with the coronavirus... and the demand suddenly shifted... and we lost our demand in the restaurants and food service."

Enter the farmers?

"*to?

"* fam food box program.

The federal initiative has purchased over seventy?

"* five million boxes f food nationwide directly from farmers... and given it to communities in need.

"the food in those boxes has been wonderful.

It's been frozen protein, it's been fresh produce, cheese right here from the midwest."

Here in olmsted county... the channel one food bank has distributed over seventeen?

"* thousand boxs of food through the farmers?

"*to?

"* families progra is far from solved in the area.

"we're starting to see a surge in demand now that the unemployment has ended... and the future of school meals is uncertain."

With vital programs hanging in the balance... local leaders is needed from washington.

Congressman jim hagedorn says another coronavirus relief package may hold the support they're looking for.

"moving forward, if we can get another coronavirus relief package, we're certainly going to look out for our citizens in need of nutrition."

Until then... non profits including channel one food bank will carry on their important work while holding out channel one food bank executive director virigina merritt says a robust food asistance program will be needed to stem a potenital hunger crisis this fall.she's asking congress to increase funding