In the face of COVID-19, civil unrest and the resulting economic challenges, accessing food and food-related jobs is a growing concern in North Minneapolis, an area that consistently is challenged by some of the highest rates of poverty in the Twin Cities.

As a result, Greater Twin Cities United Way is launching the “Nourishing Resilient Community Food Systems” grant program in honor of the United Nations’ 75^th World Food Day that was on October 16 – a day when people around the globe commit to raising awareness of hunger* and hunger-relieving strategies.

Greater Twin Cities United Way’s funding includes $250,000 in grants to further the work of nonprofits leveraging food innovation efforts in North Minneapolis, including urban gardening, mobile markets, community supported agriculture (CSA) programs, food entrepreneurship, hydroponics projects and more. The funding will serve immigrant and refugee residents as well as Black, Indigenous and People of Color with low incomes with the goal of supporting a healthy, equitable and resilient local food system in North Minneapolis.

“These grants will support the innovative work already happening as well as the continued resiliency in North Minneapolis,” said John Wilgers, President and CEO of Greater Twin Cities United Way. “Importantly, the funding will help residents access healthy and affordable food and provide opportunities to build wealth through food-related jobs as well as ownership in shifting policies to address food access disparities.”

Grantee Organizations

The organizations receiving funding for their innovative work include:

• Appetite for Change
• Food Group
• NoMi Roots
• Northside Economic Opportunity Network
• Pillsbury United Communities
• Project Sweetie Pie
• Urban Strategies

The work of these organizations builds on previous Greater Twin Cities United Way’s community food security efforts and the Full Lives initiative.

*Global Hunger Data

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations:

• Over two billion people do not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food. The global population is expected to reach almost 10 billion by 2050.
• Nearly 60 million people are hungry, up 10 million since 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic could add between 83 to 132 million people to this number, depending on the economic growth scenario.
• The impact of malnutrition in all its forms (undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, as well as overweight and obesity) on the global economy is estimated at $3.5 trillion per year.

About Greater Twin Cities United Way: Greater Twin Cities United Way unites changemakers, advocates for social good and develops solutions to address the challenges no one can solve alone to create a community where all people thrive, regardless of income, race or place. For more information, visit www.gtcuw.org.