Rural Minnesota food shelves face increasing demand amid higher gas and food prices

Some Minnesotans are struggling to put food on their table.

This includes areas in greater Minnesota where food shelves are seeing more demand now than they did during the height of the pandemic.

Community Pathways of Steele County in Owatonna has seen a 65% increase from last year.

“We’ve been seeing about 250 families each week this time last year,” Zach Roberts with Community Pathways of Steele County said. “Over the last six weeks, we’ve been seeing about 420. Last week was our highest week ever at 485. It’s very busy.”

Roberts said the demand has limited what Community Pathways of Steele County has in stock.

“We’ve had a lot less variety for shoppers,” Roberts noted, adding, “it’s really impacted what’s available on the shelves.”

Higher gas and food prices are to blame for higher demand at food shelves all across rural Minnesota.