The FOOD SHELF at Hennepin County Medical Center

THE FOOD SHELF at Hennepin County Medical Center addresses hunger and food insecurity among patients and families, with a long term vision of a hunger-free hospital and community where all families have the healthful food they need every day. The only food shelf located in the region and one of the few food shelves in the nation located in a hospital setting, The Food Shelf at Hennepin County Medical Center provides services to over twenty five hospital-based clinics and seven community clinics. Staff provide nutrient-rich foods on-site, often coupled with health and diet education, and also help patients connect to more sustained assistance programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as Food Stamps) and WIC. The program actively recruits and engages multi-lingual community volunteers and staff to assist and support this work. Currently, the program serves 3,000 households monthly with nearly 100,000 people a year, half of which are children.