A major food pantry network in the Midwest has abruptly ceased operations, leaving more than 300,000 families without a key source of affordable groceries. Ruby’s Pantry, which operated 87 locations across Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, announced on Tuesday that it was ending its services immediately.
The organisation cited financial unsustainability as the reason for the closure. In a statement, Ruby’s Pantry said it had been “thoughtfully realigning” its work but ultimately decided to end operations effective immediately. The pantry had been running for 24 years, distributing around 242,000 food bundles last year with the help of 17,500 volunteers. Families paid $25 for bundles worth up to $100.
Shaye Moris, president and CEO of Second Harvest Northland, expressed concern about the impact on families already struggling with rising food prices. She noted that seniors on fixed incomes and those affected by recent changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would be particularly vulnerable. “That's almost creating the perfect storm,” she told Minnesota Public Radio.
The closure comes amid growing anxiety over grocery costs. A Pew Research Center survey in February found that 66% of US adults are “very concerned” about the cost of groceries and other consumer goods. Additionally, the ongoing US conflict with Iran, now in its second month, could further drive up food prices due to potential disruptions to nitrogen fertiliser supplies from the Middle East, according to Forbes.
