MARSHALL — There are many factors that contribute to food insecurity — low wages, unemployment, economic shifts, and high cost of living.

Hy-Vee, a local grocery store, is hoping to help lessen food scarcity in the community.

“Food scarcity is an every day concern,” said Jeff Thompson, Hy-Vee store manager.”That is just not a current thing. That is why we do things to help the food banks and the churches that have food donations. There is a lot of food insecurity out there and every one of us should be concerned with that and take action to do what we can as a community to help.”

A 2024 Minnesota hunger study found that one in five households are facing food scarcity, per Second Harvest Heartland’s website. In just this month alone, food insecurity has quite possibly become more stark, as the Supplemental Nutrition Program also known as SNAP, a monthly federal funded program for food assistance has been suspended for its recipients.

SNAP provides qualifying low income households or individuals with a certain amount of funds each month to purchase items such as bread, meat, fruits, and vegetables at participating retailers such as a grocery store.

During the absence of SNAP benefits this month to recipients, Thompson said Hy-Vee has stepped up to help those impacted.

“As a company we’ve decided to address this head on and do everything we can to help customers,” he said. “Every night this week and until they get the SNAP funds funded we are offering a $3 meal for families. $3 per person and kids 12 and under eat free from 4 to 7 p.m. every day and then on Saturday and Sunday we have a $3 breakfast that we’re offering. ”

Last week, the Supreme Court halted SNAP benefits after a lower court ordered the federal government to start applying funds again to the SNAP program. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court extended the halting of funding SNAP, at least for a few more days.

However, the longest U.S. government shutdown ended this week and state officials are working quickly to get full SNAP food benefits to millions of people who made do with little-to-no assistance for the past couple of weeks.

According to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families, 440,000 Minnesotans receive SNAP benefits.

Still, how fast funding could be restored to the SNAP program is unclear. In the interim, Thompson says Hy-Vee is doing what it can to ease the hunger burden.

“We have opportunities for customers to purchase bags of groceries that we will donate to the food bank,” he said. “We are raising money and trying to help fund the food bank to help those in need. We also have a roundup at the register as well so we’re trying to do everything we can to help.”