Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order on Veterans Day directing the creation of a statewide network of food pantries for veterans and their families.
According to 2024 state data, Minnesota is home to 296,000 veterans, 53% of whom are 65 and older. The Tuesday orders direct the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs to coordinate the development of a statewide Veteran Food Pantry Network.
“Our veterans have sacrificed their health, safety, and personal freedoms in service to our country. Yet, here at home, many are left struggling to put food on the table,” Walz said in a Tuesday news release. “In Minnesota, we made a bipartisan commitment to provide our veterans with support and care, and we’re ensuring that every veteran and service member has access to affordable, healthy food — regardless of what happens at the federal level.”
The order also authorizes the MDVA to use existing agency resources, enter into agreements with nonprofit organizations and private sector entities, and accept donations to support the network.
A 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 13% of all veterans and 28% of female veterans who are enrolled in health care through the VA are food insecure. The same report found that of the 28% affected female veterans, food insecurity led to a 16.4% increase in the chances of missed health care and a 15% increase in missed mental health screening.
Roughly 12,000 of Minnesota’s veterans use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, according to 2023 reports from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Walz put veteran resources at the top of his list in the 2025 legislative session. During a tight budget-crafting session that ended with $5 billion in budget cuts, the MDVA had the second-largest increase in spending at $50 million, following public safety at $100 million, while some departments, such as human services, saw billions of dollars in cuts.
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