Hunger on Rise in Minnesota

Visits to food shelves in Minnesota in the first three months of this year were up 28 percent over last year.

According to a new study from Hunger Solutions, more than 237,000 children visited food shelves with their families in that time, making it tough for local food pantries to stay stocked.

Executive Director Colleen Moriarty blames the increase on the recession, increased food prices and unemployment that has shot up to above eight percent this year.

However, she says, with all the federal resources available, no one in Minnesota should have an empty belly.

"Accessing those federal programs will lessen some of the burden on the food shelves, because they were never set up to meet this kind of dramatic need," says Moriarty.

Food agencies have doled out aid to a record 614,000 people this quarter alone.