Delano Helping Hands food shelf, located in the Delano Community Education Building, 140 Elm Avenue., was founded in 1985, and currently has approximately 100 active volunteers.

The food shelf is open for food distribution each Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and every third Thursday it is also open from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The organization helps approximately 45 families on a monthly basis.

Minnesota March Food Share is a big event for the Delano Helping Hands.  Half of the food and donations are collected during March.  Many churches, organizations, and individuals participate.  All donations are kept in the Delano area.

If anyone is interested in helping at the food shelf, call your local church, or Jeanie Pilarski at 763 972-3360.

MARCH IS MINNESOTA FOOD SHARE MONTH!

2010 FACT SHEET:  HUNGER AFFECTS EVERYONE

• In 2009, there were about 3 million food shelf visits statewide and 61 million pounds of food were distributed to Minnesota families by food shelves.
   
• From 2008 to 2009, there was a 25 percent increase in food shelf visits in Minnesota - the largest recorded increase in 28 years.
   
• Child visits to food shelves in Minnesota increased from 191,756 in the first quarter of 2008 to 236,652 in the same period in 2009.
   
• In 2009, almost 14 percent of Minnesota households did not have enough money to buy food.
   
• In the state of Minnesota in 2009, 13.8 percent of households with children struggled to purchase food.
   
• Hunger touches people of every age:  56 percent of food shelf visitors are families with children and 20 percent seniors.
   
• More than 50 percent of adult food shelf visitors are employed and 65 percent make less than $1,000 a month, not enough income to cover their basic needs.
   
• Of those who use Minnesota's food shelves, 47 percent of adults and 14 percent of children skip meals because there is not enough food at home.
   
• From 2000 to 2009, food shelf usage almost tripled - from more than 1 million visits to almost 3 million visits annually.

Sources:  The State of Hunger in Minnesota (2005): HUnger Solutions Minnesota/Wilder Research; Survey of Food Shelves (2006):  Quarterly food shelf reports, (2008); Children's Defense Fund Minnesota, (2007); State of the States (2007): Food Research and Action Center (2009); Hunger Partners.