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MN FoodShare Teams With 'Bizarre Foods' Star To Fill Food Shelves

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota FoodShare is working to restock food shelves across the state for the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign.

It's the largest food and fund drive in the state of Minnesota. They're hoping to raise more than half the food distributed by 300 food shelves throughout the year.

"Every year we try to restock food shelves after inventory has been depleted after the winter holidays," Minnesota FoodShare Director Suzanne Shatila said.

This year they have recruited "Bizarre Foods" host and adopted Minnesotan, Andrew Zimmern, as their honorary chair.

Speaking to a crowd at Westminster Town Hall Thursday morning, Zimmern spoke about his experiences with homelessness and food insecurity.

"I like to talk about intelligent issues, I'm not always about the entertainment," Zimmern said. "I think I have a responsibility with the platform that I've been given to talk about important issues of the day."

Zimmern spent a year homeless in New York City in the 1980s. He has since adopted Minnesota as his home and works to fight hunger any way he can.

"I would like everybody to please remember that, you know, one in five Minnesotans still is wary of where their next meal is coming from," Zimmern said. "One in seven children are going to bed hungry at night in the state of Minnesota."

Shatila says Zimmern's passion made him an obvious choice as an honorary chair.

"I consider myself an awareness raiser," Zimmern said. "I do a lot of doing, but I'm only one person. I volunteer, I write the checks, I bring the cans but I really feel it's the responsibility of those that have a larger platform to talk about the larger social change and social justice issues."

Minnesota FoodShare won't have an update on how much they've raised until next week.

Click here if you'd like to donate, or you can drop off food at any local food shelf.

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