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Food shelf reports record demand; Master Gardeners seek volunteers and raised‑bed expansion
Summary
Longville Food Shelf reports 15,596 visits in 2025—more than double pre‑pandemic levels—and says 15.8% of Cass County residents face food insecurity. Master Gardener volunteers aim to expand local gardens and recruit during the Cass County Fair.
Longville Food Shelf Executive Director Andrea Richard told the Board on May 5 that food shelf demand in 2025 reached a record 15,596 visits, more than double pre‑pandemic levels, and that 15.8% of Cass County residents—about one in six children—face food insecurity. Richard said 7% of residents who struggle with food access do not qualify for SNAP benefits and that transportation, social stigma among older adults, and limited volunteers constrain service across seven food‑shelf locations.
Cass County Master Gardener Matt Morackzewski reported the county ranks 87th in program size per the University of Minnesota Extension and described plans to grow the volunteer base, appoint garden leaders, perform a SWOT analysis of local gardens, and add 12 new raised beds to the Remer Community Garden's high tunnel. He said recruiting at the Cass County Fair is a priority. The Board received the report and thanked staff and volunteers for their work.
