Essentia teams up with community partners to highlight food resources as SNAP benefits pause 

Essentia Health, along with community partners like the Great Plains Food Bank, Second Harvest Northland and St. Louis County, came together Friday, Oct. 31, to highlight resources available for individuals impacted by the upcoming pause of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, effective Saturday, Nov. 1.

Essentia is encouraging individuals to use the online tool Resourceful, a free public platform that connects people to free or reduced-cost community-based programs, including food and nutrition services, in North Dakota, Minnesota or Wisconsin.

"Access to affordable, nutritious food is foundational to our health – and it's a very real struggle for many of our neighbors, especially during the winter months. With the pause of SNAP benefits in November, we know food insecurity will be even more pronounced in the communities we serve," said Jill Doberstein, Essentia Health community outreach program manager. "At Essentia, we are committed to helping our patients and communities access the resources they need during this uncertain time."

Launched in 2021, Resourceful is available for anyone – community organizations, helpers and navigators, families and individuals – who wants to get connected to food, shelter, health care, transportation, financial assistance and more.

Access to food continues to be a need in the communities Essentia serves, with over 1,300 referrals placed through Resourceful to food programs and resources so far in 2025. Food-related searches on the platform have increased this fall, from 475 searches in August to 675 in September and 729 thus far through October.

Located in Duluth, Second Harvest Northland is the region’s only food bank supporting over 70 food shelves and is one of Essentia’s key partners in connecting community members to food resources. Second Harvest Northland serves a 15-county geographic area covering northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin and is currently preparing to support food shelves with an increased demand for support.

"We are strong, we are resilient and we are uniquely equipped to handle this crisis," said Shaye Moris, president/CEO of Second Harvest Northland. "COVID proved our ability to come together to support our neighbors, and we are calling on our Northland communities once again to ensure families, children and seniors have access to the food they need to thrive."

Essentia has supported Second Harvest Northland since 1998. In the last two years, Essentia has contributed nearly $200,000, most recently with a $105,000 donation to its Nourish the Northland campaign, supporting Second Harvest Northland’s new facility in Duluth and its ability to provide a better variety of nutritious food for neighbors facing hunger. In addition, Essentia provides yearly financial support to enhance its capacity to respond to referrals placed through the Resourceful platform.

As North Dakota’s only food bank, the Great Plains Food Bank distributes over 15 million pounds of food and grocery products each year through nearly 200 partner food pantries and direct service programs across North Dakota and Clay County, Minnesota, reaching more than 160,000 individuals annually. One of Essentia Health’s key allies in connecting community members to food resources, the Great Plains Food Bank joined the Resourceful network in 2024.

The Great Plains Food Bank is currently preparing to support food shelves to meet the surge in demand expected in the weeks ahead. The goal is to raise the necessary funds to source and distribute an additional 1 million pounds of food.

"During times of uncertainty, we often see more neighbors turning to our network of food pantries and meal programs for support," said Darby Njos, communications and marketing manager at the Great Plains Food Bank. "A government shutdown can quickly increase that need, especially if SNAP benefits are delayed or disrupted. Even a short pause in benefits or a missed paycheck can make it difficult for families to afford essentials like food, rent and utilities. We encourage anyone in need to visit our website to find local food pantries, our mobile food pantry routes and our pop-up pantry dates. For those who are able, we invite them to consider giving funds or grocery items because every contribution helps us ensure no one has to go without today, or in the weeks to come."

To support the mission and work of the Great Plains Food Bank, Essentia has contributed $15,000 in funding for the current fiscal year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). Essentia was also a main sponsor of this year’s Eighth Annual Hunger and Health Summit hosted by the Cass Clay Hunger Coalition (CCHC) on Thursday. This event brought together stakeholders to discuss local food insecurity, access to resources and the recent federal and state-level changes impacting food availability in our communities.

Dusty Letica with St. Louis County noted the importance of partners like Essentia, Great Plains Food Bank and Second Harvest Northland working together in support of the communities they serve.

"In St. Louis County, our staff works with nearly 16,000 people every month who are served through federal SNAP benefits," said Dusty Letica, deputy director of St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services. "The average SNAP benefit is $160 a month, so we share the concern for the hardship these individuals and families will face. We appreciate the work of these community organizations to help serve our residents in need."