Review our County Fact Sheets
to learn more about Economic Instability in your area
Hear from Faith Leaders Across Minnesota
“The needs of those in poverty are many. As a faith community nurse, I see people struggling to pay for needed prescriptions and avoiding necessary medical care. Poverty affects so many things - getting to work or school, adequate food and medicine, and the ability to care for your children.”
-Nancy Ludescher, Parish Nurse, Northfield
“At the locally supported and operated food shelf in our community, we are providing nutritional support to an astounding 10% of our local residents. We have a growing population of individuals and families who daily are forced to make difficult decisions impacting essentials like food, housing, heat and transportation.”
-Rev. Jerry Kosanovich, Hoyt Lakes
“Our churches, temples and mosques work together to meet the needs of the many people who come to our doors seeking assistance. There is never enough funding to meet all the legitimate needs. Many individuals and families are paying well over 50% of their income for housing, which means that any financial disruption, however small, puts their housing at risk.”
-Rev. Doug Mitchell, Minneapolis
“In the area where I serve, there are many families working multiple minimum wage jobs and still having to make decisions about what they can pay each month. Many are income, shelter and food insecure.”
-Rev. Heather E. Klason, Dover
“The income gap is increasing in our area and children are the ones who suffer the most and bear the long-term effect of living in low-income households.”
-Cynthia Huse, Madison
“I am deeply aware of families who live in poverty in our area. I know how hard it is for parents to care for their families when money runs out before the end of the month.”
-Rev. Dr. Duane Gebhard, Park Rapids
“Finding meaningful work that can support a family and provide vital benefits is a huge issue. In poverty, each step forward - job, transportation, family budget, education - requires thought, energy, creativity, and sometimes even the simplest thing is a Herculean effort…Do that, day in and day out, and you learn what it really means to be under stress.”
-Rev. Tom Biatek, Maplewood