Hot line for those needing food help

A Minnesota hunger relief organization has launched a telephone hot line to help the growing number of people seeking food assistance.

EFFORT'S BEGINNINGS: Hunger Solutions Minnesota started the "Minnesota Food HelpLine" at 1-888-711-1151 to help enroll low-income Minnesotans in the Food Support (food stamps) program and help callers find emergency food assistance. The organization will provide multilingual application assistance and eligibility screening for callers statewide.

VISITS UP 40 PERCENT: Because of rising joblessness and expensive health care, visits to food shelves in the nine-county metro have increased more than 40 percent in the past year and more than 30 percent statewide, said Jill Hiebert, communications manager for Hunger Solutions.

"Food Support is the foundation of the nutrition safety net," said Colleen Moriarty, the organization's executive director. "If enrollment increases, that will add millions [of dollars] in federal assistance to Minnesota. This will take some pressure off of the weakened state budget."

For information about Hunger Solutions, go to: www.hungersolutions .org/

KEVIN GILES