Second Harvest Heartland Encourages Minnesotans to Provide Hope this Holiday Season

SAINT PAUL, Minn., Oct. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- If you are like most families in the heartland, you'll sit down in the coming months and enjoy a holiday feast surrounded by loved ones. But the reality is thousands of Minnesota families will rely on their local food shelf for a simple holiday meal.

For one in 10 people in Second Harvest Heartland's region, hunger is difficult any time of the year; but it is particularly difficult during the holidays. The holidays place an unique burden on struggling families who are trying to pay the bills and still have something leftover for celebration and giving.

Many of the agency partners in Second Harvest Heartland's service region see an increased need during the holidays. Second Harvest Heartland is working hard to distribute more than 16 million meals over the next three months to meet the demand of many local food shelves, pantries and other partner programs.

"We cannot meet this need without the support and generosity of our community partners like Cub Foods and their Cub Cares Campaign," stated Rob Zeaske, CEO Second Harvest Heartland. 

As a way to ensure 16 million meals are provided through the end of the year, the Cub Cares campaign, in partnership with Gopher Athletics, kicked off on Sunday, October 18 and will run through the end of the month. All you need to do is round up your purchases at the register and the donation will go to support Second Harvest Heartland and other participating Minnesota Feeding America food banks. 

"Cub is committed to ensuring we have strong and healthy communities, and providing enough food to those who are hungry is one of the first steps is ensuring this," said Mike Stigers, president of Cub Foods.

As one of the nation's largest, most efficient and most innovative food banks, Second Harvest Heartland can distribute three meals for every $1 donated. Your support can go a long way in helping us feed families and provide hope this holiday season.

About Second Harvest Heartland
Second Harvest Heartland is one of the nation's largest, most efficient and most innovative food banks.  In 2014, we delivered more than 74 million meals to over 1,000 food shelves, pantries and other partner programs serving 59 counties in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Second Harvest Heartland helps relieve hunger not only by sourcing, warehousing and distributing food, but through data-driven thought leadership and community partnerships that help improve the region's larger hunger relief system.   For more information, visit 2harvest.org or call 651.484.5117.

SOURCE Second Harvest Heartland