3. Children under the age of 18 are the largest age group that benefits from SNAP making up 38% of the county's total program participants, followed closely by adults 55 and older who are 20% of the total SNAP recipients in Ramsey County.
4. The areas with the highest concentrations of food insecurity in Ramsey County include portions of University-Midway, Frogtown, and Capitol Heights in Saint Paul.
5. Demand for food shelves has increased since the start of the pandemic. Food shelf usage rates were nearly 50% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Usage rates have grown the most among seniors, increasing 160% since 2020.
As a result of systemic racism and other long-standing issues worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, food insecurity continues to disproportionately affect residents who are Black, Asian, American Indian, people of color, youth, seniors, and those with lower incomes or mobility limitations.