The results are in for the MN FoodShare campaign and once again, the Hastings area communities proved that by working together, every person, every dollar and every pound of food can make a difference in driving out hunger. 15,500 pounds of food were collected for the food shelf and contributions totaling $154,407 were generously given. This year the Drive Out Hunger campaign was extra special because it was dedicated to Mary Kocak and all she has done to provide access to quality food for every neighbor in Hastings. Mary retired on March 31st after 27 years of service as the food shelf director. The Drive Out Hunger campaign ran from February 28th through April 10th and helped HFS maximize the proportionate matching dollars available through MN FoodShare. According to Kelly Carter, the community’s generosity ensures that the nutritional needs of families in the Hastings area can be met over the summer when children are no longer eating lunch at school, and increased daycare expenses stretch the already tight budgets.
