Too many older adults in Minnesota go hungry. Many factors contribute to food insecurity, including the rising cost of living, limited incomes, the stigma of accepting help, lack of transportation, and disabilities that limit functioning. The COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have increased the demand for food support and impacted how we address the needs.
Access to healthy food is a key social determinant of health (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2018). Food insecurity is associated with fair or poor health, obesity, high instances of chronic disease, and increased stress.
While many supports are in place, more can be done to ensure older adults — and all people — have access to healthy food that supports their lives.
“Minnesota has experienced dramatic changes in food security since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, with food insecurity surging by as much as 40%.”
University of Minnesota Food Security Dashboard
The situation
Food insecurity is defined as “the lack of enough affordable, nutritious food to live a healthy, active lifestyle.” (Pooler, 2018). According to American Health Rankings, 7.4% of adults age 60 and older in Minnesota faced the “threat of hunger in the past 12 months.” While Minnesota ranks fifth in the nation for food insecurity, the number of people at risk is still too high. One sad fact: a study of causes of death by the Mayo Clinic showed a significant increase in deaths due to malnutrition in older persons during the height of the pandemic.
Second Harvest Heartland, a large food bank serving the southern half of Minnesota, reports that people aged 60+ are the fastest-growing segment of food shelf users, making up 18% of users. They report that “non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic households report food insecurity at rates at least twice that of White, non-Hispanic households.”
Recognizing the growing risk, the University of Minnesota launched a Food Security Dashboard. They note, “Minnesota has experienced dramatic changes in food security since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, with food insecurity surging by as much as 40%.” The dashboard data shows that food insecurity is distributed throughout the state in metropolitan, rural, micropolitan (area surrounding a city of at least 10,000), and suburban areas. The dashboard provides food insecurity rates by county and census track and makes it easy for service providers and policymakers to pinpoint interventions where they are most needed.
The Aging in Rural Minnesota report, released September 2024, highlights difficulties rural Minnesotans face that exacerbate food insecurity, including lack of transportation options, greater distances to grocery stores, and social isolation.
COVID-19 and its aftermath
The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on food security. Food supply was disrupted as agriculture and processing plants shut down due to worker illness. Loss of employment and rising costs made it difficult for people to purchase food. Access to healthy food through community efforts such as congregate dining was unavailable.
Federal, state, and local governments stepped in to address the urgent need for support. The government provided stimulus checks to individuals, financial support to governmental and nonprofit entities that provide emergency food services, and assistance to businesses to keep people employed. Service providers responded with innovative ways to meet needs while safeguarding health. Many providers made one-time investments in infrastructure that put them in a good position to meet future community needs.
“After COVID-19 supports ended, older adults who only qualify for the minimum SNAP benefit experienced a drop from $281 a month to $23.”
SNAP Fact Sheet
As pandemic-related programs have ended, the demand for food support remains high, but the resources available to meet the need are shrinking. One example is the change in SNAP benefits after March 2023. Older adults who only qualify for the minimum SNAP benefit experienced a drop from $281 a month to $23. (SNAP fact sheet)
Increases in prices due to inflation and other factors have made it particularly hard for older adults with low, often fixed incomes to get the food they need. Many juggle the costs of housing, medical expenses, and other basic needs with paying for food. They often come up short.
Sources of support in the Emergency Food System
Federal, state, and local governments and community-based organizations provide a range of programs that help to support people at risk for food insecurity. They include:
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as “Food Stamps”)
- Congregate and home-delivered meals (provided through funding from the Older Americans Act and the State of Minnesota and administered by our members, Minnesota’s area agencies on aging)
- Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP)
- Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program
- Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
- Food shelves
A deep dive in the Emergency Food System in rural Minnesota
A recent study by the University of Minnesota examined how people in rural Minnesota experienced the Emergency Food System during the COVID-19 pandemic. With insights collected from EFS partners, providers, and older adults, the report highlights opportunities and challenges ahead. While the report is specific to rural areas of the state, for the most part, the findings and policy implications are applicable across the state.
The authors reported the following key findings and policy implications:
- Adaptability and resilience. The EFS in Minnesota displayed remarkable adaptability during the pandemic. Providers leveraged established networks and flexibility to pivot to new service delivery models, such as curbside pickups, which became essential. These networks, coupled with significant financial support, enabled providers to maintain operations effectively despite rising challenges.
- Challenges and shifting needs. Although early pandemic support facilitated an environment of abundance, the landscape has shifted with the discontinuation of many relief programs. Rural food shelves now face increased demand, alongside inflation-driven food insecurity and dwindling financial support. Economic barriers, rising food costs, and limited transportation access were prominent issues affecting rural older adults’ access to food.
- Strengths of Minnesota’s EFS. The study highlights Minnesota’s well-established network of experienced organizations as a critical strength. Funding during the pandemic allowed for infrastructure improvements and an increase in service capacity. Rural providers emphasized their strong community ties, noting that close-knit relationships fostered both resilience and enhanced service delivery, including maintaining client dignity and respect.
- Gaps and areas for improvement. Despite the successes, the system now faces significant gaps. With reduced funding and growing demand, there are concerns about sustaining operations, especially as providers report shortages in food quality and volunteer capacity. Older adults identified stigma, limited operating hours, and inconsistent food quality as ongoing issues.
- Policy implications: The study underscores the need to reinstate or extend pandemic-era support strategies to ensure food security for rural older adults. It advocates for continued flexibility in service delivery and increased direct support to food shelves to counteract inflation and sustain food quality. By addressing these needs, Minnesota’s EFS can continue to support underserved populations effectively and maintain its essential role in the community.
Next steps
Ensuring that older adults have the food they need to support healthy lives is a key priority for the Minnesota Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Addressing food insecurity is a key focus of our advocacy work with the Minnesota Legislature during the 2025 session.
In 2023, Minnesota made a historic one-time $11 million investment in the Senior Nutrition Program. The funding reduced food insecurity, which disproportionately affects older Minnesotans from lower-income and rural communities. In 2025, we will ask the Legislature to appropriate $20M per biennial for ongoing support for senior meals.
Other actions that we can all help support include:
- Encouraging Congress to reauthorize the Older Americans Act and to increase the authorized funding level to address the rapidly growing older adult population and growing costs. OAA funding supports congregate and home-delivered meals for older adults.
- Ask Congress to return SNAP benefits to the pandemic-era levels. More than 235,000 Minnesota households suffered cuts in their SNAP benefits on March 1, 2023, when the emergency allotments ended. FRAC (Food Research & Action Center) has released a comprehensive report, commissioned by the AARP Foundation, that makes the case for the funding: The Case for Making SNAP Benefits Adequate: Reflections from Interviews with Older Adults
- As individuals, include food shelves and community dining organizations in your annual charitable giving.