Hunger-Free Minnesota To Ensure Every State Resident Has Enough To Eat By 2014

Seven years ago, then-Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the state could end long-term homelessness by 2010.

It didn't happen. So Hunger-Free Minnesota announced it's decided to tackle a less lofty goal -- making sure every person in the state has enough to eat by 2014, Minnesota Public Radio reported Tuesday.

Rob Zeaske, executive director of Second Harvest Heartland food bank, told MPR hunger is an issue that affects everybody.

"Our children are going to school less ready, they are not staying on healthy development paths. Our seniors are spending more time in hospitals. So for us to move the needle on this problem is a huge priority."

The program calculates that Minnesotans are missing about 100 million meals a year. Hunger-Free Minnesota will increase stock at food shelves by finding new sources such as grocery stores that would otherwise toss food. It also aims to increase participation in food stamps and child nutrition programs.

The number of the state's chronically homeless has nearly doubled since Pawlenty's ambitious statement, according to Wilder Research and MPR.

Mitch Pearlstein, founder and president of the Minneapolis-based conservative think tank Center of the American Experiment, told MPR in a follow-up segment Thursday that Hunger-Free Minnesota's idea is more reasonable.

"There's a tendency for reasons I can't fathom --- I really can't --- for otherwise smart and savvy people to come up with these absurd goals which cannot be achieved," Pearlstein said.

LISTEN:

Help Hunger-Free Minnesota reach its goals through the Impact links below.

Comments

[Sadie Rae Jones]

09:04 PM on 06/14/2011

That's impressive... Really? Pawlenty, the man who cut $381,000,000 from the state health program, is trying to actually help...? I find that hard to believe... Perhaps if the low income folks didn't have to pay out of pocket for necessary medical expenses, they may just be able to feed their own families..

[craig asia]

12:35 AM on 06/13/2011

Who will be the last person to remain hungary until 2014, and will they last that long? Two years is a long time without food.

[vietveter]

12:22 AM on 06/13/2011

"" Hunger-Free Minnesota To Ensure Every State Resident Has Enough To Eat By 2014 ""

I sure hope that we can starve a bunch of those socialist commies befor that happens. (backroom republican humor)

great program !!

[HHUA]

11:11 PM on 06/12/2011

What -- food for everyone? Why that's just downright un-patriotic! But waving the flag from your front porch while calling everyone you don't agree with a socialist... Now THAT'S American!

[hershala]

11:48 PM on 06/12/2011

True, but your patriotism is enhanced if you also point out that everone of a different ethnicity or nationality or that can be identified as different is dangerous, subversive and almost certainly criminal or an illegal alien.

Making sure that everyone has food? shocking. If they don't go in fear of starving they will have no incentive to do anything At least that is what I have heard from some conservative neighbors.

[Tim in Tucson]

11:10 PM on 06/12/2011

We have hunger in a country that is more that capable of feeding each and every citizen with a huge surplus to spare, yet we have so many hungry! That alone delegitimises the current economic system. We live in a cruel society in which those who are the most aggressive, most greedy, most uncaring, and most selfish are destined to become the most successful (by our current society's standards). Is this realy the kind of society we want to live in? Or to put it another way, what do you want your children to be like when they are adults? Our whole society is completely wrong! Instead of living in a society that values the well-being of every citizen, we live in a dog-eat-dog society where only a few succeed while the rest starve and suffer! Think about it! Where do you personally fit in within this society? What are your future prospects? With that being said, seriously consider how we all must come together and fight back against the wealthy elite who have declared class warfare upon the rest of us (that would be 98% of us)! If you care about yourself, your children, and your fellow Americans, you will begin to realize that we must bring down this rotten, ineqitable society that has been hijacked by a small elite who have only their personal interests (wealth) in mind, at the expense of the rest of us. We need to all come together, rise up, and fight back against the those that have stolen our country from us!

[nsewing]

11:26 PM on 06/12/2011

Agreed, but most people are too distracted to even realize what is happening, let alone, rise up and fight back. The day will come, though.

f/f

[Tim in Tucson]

11:28 PM on 06/12/2011

Back at you! Thanks.

[TimtheEnchanted]

11:41 PM on 06/12/2011

This article made my head spin out of control. Thanks for articulating what I might have come close to if I could make the "wha'... huh?...who..." stop.

F/F

[CPNASH]

10:56 PM on 06/12/2011

America is the last place you'd expect to find people going hungry.By 2014? This shouldn't be happening.

[TREKMIND]

10:55 PM on 06/12/2011

That's an amazing goal to go for, I hope they are successful every year.

[clearpepsi]

11:13 PM on 06/12/2011

yes.. I agree, I hope they reach it

[Newly Minted]

10:50 PM on 06/12/2011

That's what the bumper stickers read when I lived there: "Starving in the land of Pawlenty!"

[Newly Minted]

10:48 PM on 06/12/2011

Good luck on fixing MN after TP got done with it. Not enough money for food, schools, kid's social intervention programs or bridges. Hope you can fix all that.

[Rendy Bee Mulyono]

10:43 PM on 06/12/2011

End Hunger? Gasp! That's Socialism! No wonder it didn't work under Pawlenty, he's a TP agent

[timetraveler2039]

10:25 PM on 06/12/2011

Minnesotans missing 100 million meals a year? And how much time have we spent on the Weiner? Shouldn't we be more outraged about hunger in America?

[birddogs]

10:44 PM on 06/12/2011

Exactly. Hunger just doesn't to grab the viewers attention like a scandle does.

Thanks for pointing it out.

[brokerallen]

04:18 PM on 06/13/2011

For the most part the information we receive is from the media. Helping the poor doesn't get ratings.

[ifsos]

10:22 PM on 06/12/2011

It is an admirable goal and one I wish the state of Min. great luck with. The one problem I do see with it is that if they are expecting to use food stamps as part of this program and BHO has his way with it social programs will be cut in the budget, this may not work, but we are told to feed the hungry. So bless your efforts.

[Erinaleks]

09:09 PM on 06/12/2011

Anthony Weiner ate all the food

[birddogs]

10:46 PM on 06/12/2011

Ate all the newstime.

But Governor christie ate all the food.

[artleads]

10:53 PM on 06/12/2011

lol

[samtee]

09:09 PM on 06/12/2011

#1

[Golfrrs]

09:03 PM on 06/12/2011

The GOP (Guarenteed Overnight Poverty) is at work again in a state where we have a presidential nominee. Fitting

[samtee]

09:11 PM on 06/12/2011

Obama's doing that pretty well without the GOP.

[Edy Kel]

10:18 PM on 06/12/2011

Only because The GOP are hovering over them like vultures. They been planning these meals for years.

[SpencersMom]

09:28 PM on 06/12/2011

counting Bachmann, Minnesota is sending TWO 'baggers to the dance!