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FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – 186,366 people sought food assistance through the Great Plains Food Bank during its most recent fiscal year, marking an all-time high in the organization’s 44-year history.
The fiscal year ran from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. During that period, one in four people in North Dakota and Clay County, Minnesota, relied on the food bank — A 16% increase from the year prior. One in three children across the service area also needed assistance.
Record need tied to federal program cuts
CEO Ann Prifrel said the milestone reflects both the scale of need and the importance of community support.
“What we’ve learned because it’s an all-time high number that we have ever served in our 44-year history at Great Plains Food Bank, we felt it’s important to ensure that the whole communities who are out there serving these neighbors know that they are greatly appreciated,” Prifrel said.
Cuts to federal food assistance programs are among the factors driving increased demand. Prifrel said reductions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, have pushed more families to seek help from the food bank.
“There has been cuts to SNAP. Families that would receive $200 in the past are now receiving $25. As you can imagine, they are coming to the food bank to help fill that gap. In addition, we’ve had cuts to the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). We received just under a million less pounds of food compared to last year,” Prifrel said.
Community support offsets federal shortfall
Despite the reduction in federal food through The Emergency Food Assistance Program, known as TEFAP, the food bank distributed 15.4 million pounds of food — a 4.5% increase from the previous fiscal year. Prifrel credited community support for making up the difference.
“The challenges that cuts to the federal program of TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program), we received less food. So, we were down just under a million pounds. Because of the community support, we were able to exceed our goal of pounds of food to our neighbors who are struggling with hunger,” Prifrel said.
New distribution center under construction
To help meet current and future demand, the Great Plains Food Bank is constructing a new statewide food distribution center in Fargo through the Harvesting Hope Campaign.
Once complete, the facility will expand the organization’s capacity to source, store, and distribute food to communities across the region.
Prifrel said any form of community support remains critical.
“Any kind of support that our community is willing to give. Whether it’s a monetary donation, whether it’s volunteering time, whether it’s a food drive. We are in a position that we are just truly grateful for any kind of support. That is what will get us one step closer to ending hunger,” Prifrel said.
