Hunger relief organizations are working to de-stigmatize visits to the local food shelf: making them feel like nothing more than a trip to the grocery store.

Several Minnesota food shelves are implementing shopper-choice models, which provide visitors access to fresh, nutritious food options while emphasizing dignity.

But deep federal budget cuts make the future of these programs uncertain.

Jill Branson, 69, of St. Peter visits the St. Peter Area Food Shelf inside a renovated space in a strip mall. She pushes a cart through aisles, browsing a wide range of fruits and vegetables.

“It is beautiful,” Branson remarked. “Oh my gosh, they have lots of stuff. There’s eggplant and cucumbers. There’s cauliflower, carrots, peppers, celery…They have a huge selection here.”

This huge produce sele

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