The need for the Market food shelf has grown 278% in the past five years, and the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign is a chance for the entire community to come together each year to make a difference. Your support is critically needed to continue to provide help and hope to our neighbors.”

Hastings Family Service Executive Director Amy Sutton

The Hastings community is once again joining the statewide effort to fight hunger as part of the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign, with local leaders calling on residents to help restock the Market food shelf at Hastings Family Service.
The City of Hastings recently issued a proclamation declaring that the community will work together during the campaign to drive out hunger and support neighbors facing food insecurity. Donations of money, food, and personal care items made through April 6 will be proportionately matched by Minnesota FoodShare, helping local contributions go even further.
The need continues to grow. Hastings Family Service saw a 39 percent increase in households receiving full food shelf orders in 2025, and local leaders say the trend reflects a broader rise in food insecurity across Minnesota.
According to Hastings Family Service Executive Director Amy Sutton, the increase has been dramatic in recent years.
“The need for the Market food shelf has grown 278% in the past five years, and the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign is a chance for the entire community to come together each year to make a difference. Your support is critically needed to continue to provide help and hope to our neighbors.”
Residents have several ways to participate in the campaign. Community members are encouraged to host food drives and attend fundraising and collection events throughout the month.
One of the long running efforts is the annual National Honor Society food drive. Students distribute empty paper grocery bags to households, asking residents to fill them with nonperishable food items. The bags are then collected by students on Sunday, March 8, from 4 to 6 p.m. Those who do not receive a bag in their neighborhood can still support the effort by bringing donations directly to the Hastings Family Service Donation Center.
Another highlight of the campaign is the return of Hastings Tastings, now in its 29th year. The event will take place Monday, March 30, and features food and drinks from a variety of local restaurants and establishments. Tickets are $55, and organizers say each ticket purchased can help feed two families of three to four people for a week.
Sutton said the event has become an important part of the annual campaign.
“Hastings Tastings is an important part of MN Foodshare with all proceeds being proportionately matched, and we hope you will join us for the best meal of the year! We are so fortunate to be part of a community that rallies to help one another through uncertain times.”
Organizers say the success of the campaign depends on the continued generosity of residents, businesses, and volunteers who come together each year to support neighbors in need.
The effort reflects a long tradition of community support. Hastings Family Service has served local residents for 55 years, offering help with food, housing, transportation, clothing, and other basic needs.
Below is the full proclamation issued by the City of Hastings in support of the campaign:
Proclamation
Declaring to Drive Out Hunger during MN FoodShare for Hastings Family Service
WHEREAS, MN FoodShare March campaign has helped restock food shelves throughout the State of Minnesota for 45 years; and,
WHEREAS, Hastings Family Service has been helping neighbors in our community meet their basic needs of food, housing, transportation and clothing for 55 years; and,
WHEREAS, all programs and services at Hastings Family Service are made possible by 550 volunteers and a supportive community that believes in neighbors helping neighbors; and,
WHEREAS, Hastings Family Service provided 3,705 families with over a week’s supply of food in 2025, an increase of 39% over the previous year; and,
WHEREAS, 25,500 neighbors were served in Hastings Family Service food programs and over 19,000 meals were delivered through Meals on Wheels in 2025 with the need continuing to escalate; and,
WHEREAS, the generosity of our community makes it possible for Hastings Family Service to provide help and hope to our neighbors, and all gifts of money and food are proportionately matched by MN FoodShare throughout the month of March.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Mayor Mary Fasbender of the City of Hastings hereby declare that the Hastings community will fight hunger in our community during the MN Foodshare March campaign by working together to support and restock the Market Food Shelf at Hastings Family Service.
Mary D. Fasbender
Mayor