08/20/2026
SNAP plays a vital role in ending hunger here in the Northland and across the nation. Through the voices of our neighbors, our partner food bank Feeding America highlights the importance of this federal nutrition assistance program. Learn more today: https://buff.ly/JLrfpgV
For 28 years, Shaye Moris has led Second Harvest Northland, a food bank serving a 15 county region across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. In that time, she's learned one thing clearly: food banks can't meet every need alone.
"Food banks are largely accessing donated or surplus product," Shaye explains. "That means we might not have all the products available that our neighbors desire. So the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is an important component. People can actually go to the grocery store and purchase the items that we might not have in supply. They work really hand in hand together."
As the cost of living rises, Shaye sees firsthand what access to SNAP really means for families: not just a way to put food on the table, but the stability to focus on what's next.
"When people have access to SNAP, it allows them not to focus on where they're going to get their next meal, but it allows them to focus on stabilizing their families," she says. "That stability really helps families think next steps."
Food banks and SNAP aren't separate solutions. They work hand in hand to help neighbors thrive. Learn more about how at FeedingAmerica.org/SnapFacts
