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March Is Minnesota FoodShare Month

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- More than 500,000 Minnesotans receive food support and Minnesota FoodShare is doing all it can to meet the demand.

Gov. Mark Dayton has designated March as Minnesota FoodShare Month. Half of the annual need is collected during this month.

"Hungry people can't wait," said Sara Nelson-Pallmeyer, director of Minnesota FoodShare.

Despite a slowly recovering economy, the demand for food continues to rise.

"I did some analysis this week and found that food shelves have seen a 9.8 percent jump in visits from August 2010 to August 2011," said Nelson-Pallmeyer. "It's as high as ever."

NewsRadio 830 WCCO's Bruce Hagevik Reports

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She said some people feel embarrassed about coming to a food shelf.

"No one wants to admit that they don't have enough food to feed their families -- but then they realize that there are a lot of other people kind of in the same boat," Nelson-Pallmeyer said, during a WCCO Radio interview.

Donations are being taken at food shelves throughout the state and at numerous houses of worship.

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