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The Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches (GMCC) is observing anniversaries of several of its 10 programs to help struggling Minnesota families living with little, including the annual statewide food drive. In the view of GMCC, "It would be much more rewarding to celebrate the end of hunger, homelessness and poverty. But that is not to be. At least not yet."

GMCC's newsletter, EXPRESSions, recently featured this profile of the food program, which is marking 20 years of service:

Minnesota FoodShare

The roots of Minnesota FoodShare stretch back to a time in the state's history when the Iron Range was in trouble.

The steel industry crumbled, layoffs mounted, the northern Minnesota economy took a nosedive, and local families were hurting.

In 1982, 14 Iron Range food shelves, area churches, and The Pillsbury Company got together to organize a food drive for northern Minnesota families. The coalition raised 1 million pounds of food and gave birth to FoodShare.

In 1983, the effort moved south to the Twin Cities to help food shelves in the seven-county metropolitan area. The February 1983 campaign raised 1.85 million pounds of food and became known as Metro FoodShare. In 1984, the initiative was renamed Minnesota FoodShare and became a statewide effort.

Each March, FoodShare directs the largest food drive in the state (known as the March Campaign) and restocks 258 food shelves across Minnesota. It recruits 3,200 congregations, corporations, schools, and civic groups to run local cash and food drives to aid in the effort.

In 2001, FoodShare shattered all records and raised 3.2 million pounds of food and $2.9 million in cash. Each dollar raised buys about five pounds of food, which means that the cash purchased another 14.5 million pounds of food.

FoodShare's impact is undeniable. Half of all the groceries distributed at Minnesota food shelves in 2001 came from the March Campaign. In March 2002, FoodShare will kick off its 20-year-anniversary campaign and continue the tradition of giving.

Hunger rises and falls with the economy and families feel it first, said Sue Kainz, FoodShare's March Campaign coordinator. In the fall of 2001, food shelf use in the Twin Cities jumped 40 percent as the sluggish state and national economies worsened. "We have spent the past 20 years nourishing thousands of families. As long as there is a need, we will be here."

Learn more about these and other GMCC programs at www.gmcc.org