 Hunger Solutions is currently running their own, your Open Your Heart campaign to help many local food pantries stock their shelves. Many parts of Minnesota are considered food deserts, meaning there aren't very many accessible and affordable ways to get food. Because of this epidemic, many people rely on local food shelves like the one in Pine River to get their groceries. Food accessibility is an issue that many people do not realize is happening in their own hometown. It's really bad. We're one of the worst areas in the state. You'd think it would be urban areas, cities, but in talked with food shelves from the city area. And a lot of them don't even purchase any food because it's accessible at different locations down there for free. To help rural areas get the food they need, Hunger Solutions' Open Your Heart campaign will match all donations made to the food shelf in July up to $4,000. However, the money is not the only thing the food shelf in Pine River will benefit from during this campaign. I think we jump on more for the awareness factor than for the grant amount. Because we want people to keep thinking there's still need out there. If you want to make a donation to the Pine River food shelf, find out how by going to the story on our website at lptv.org slash news. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.