Amid cancelation of U.S. hunger survey, new Second Harvest CEO says data is 'critical'

[MUSIC PLAYING] NINA MOINI: The region's largest food bank has a new leader. Sarah Moberg was named Second Harvest Heartland CEO late last week. She takes on the new role with news over the weekend that the Trump administration is ending the federal government's reporting on hunger in the nation. It's just the latest upheaval after cuts to the food benefit program SNAP, which is used by millions. Here to talk about her new role and keeping track of hunger is Second Harvest Heartland's new CEO, Sarah Moberg. Hi, Sarah. Welcome to the show.

SARAH MOBERG: Thank you, Nina. Good afternoon.

NINA MOINI: Good afternoon. So you have been involved at Second Harvest Heartland for some time now. You're not walking in, obviously, brand new. But some of the challenges that have arisen in recent months may feel newer in this changing landscape, as I was describing there in the introduction. As you're entering this role officially now, how are you thinking about your mission?

SARAH MOBERG: Sure. Well, I started at Second Harvest Heartland four years ago as chief operations officer. And so I have just a huge passion for all of the operations and programmatic work that we do. And certainly, if you think over-- even going back to the beginning of the pandemic, it has seemed to feel like one new challenge after another coming at us in the nonprofit industry. And today is no different. There are continued changes and policy shifts. And we'll keep adjusting and innovating to find our way forward.

NINA MOINI: And the Trump administration said that the reason for canceling this annual federal report on hunger is that it's become overly politicized. Do you think the issue of hunger has become politicized?

SARAH MOBERG: Well, I know that data is absolutely critical for us to have access to so that we can make sure that we are making the smartest choices possible when it comes to servicing the neighbors and our communities. And so we're looking at what this weekend's news will mean for us. But Minnesota, we at Second Harvest Heartland launched a statewide hunger study last fall. We plan to do it every year. And so that will give us continued data to help us make smart choices about our programs and offerings.

NINA MOINI: Yeah, and the point of having data, if you talk to any researchers, is precisely so that it doesn't become a politicized topic, so that you can look at the data and make decisions from there. It's interesting to hear you say that Minnesota has its own way to track that. Do you think all states are already self-reliant in that area, as it relates to their states? Or do you think this is a really big deal, this national or this federal report?

SARAH MOBERG: No. So all states do not have the capabilities that we have through Second Harvest Heartland at Minnesota. And we're working very hard to share our methodology with other food banks across the country and with Feeding America at a national level, because we really believe that the data that we receive is critical to solution-finding for hunger.

NINA MOINI: And if we do zoom in here on Minnesota, I think the most current stats that are out there are that one in five Minnesotans say they can't afford enough food for their household. How big of an issue is this? What is going to happen? I know that you all have a really lofty moonshot goal of cutting hunger in half by 2030. What would it take to reach that goal? Are things not getting worse?

SARAH MOBERG: Well, it is a moonshot goal. And it is lofty. And it will take our entire community stepping up to the challenge. And again, Minnesota is such a generous community. And hunger really is solvable. And but we have to stop thinking the old way where we accept that hunger is complicated, we feel like it might be inevitable, and we really need to think about what are the connections, the innovative problem-solving. How can we work better together to create new options and new solutions that can meet the community's needs?

NINA MOINI: Is there anything over the past five years that you could point to that is maybe a more innovative or creative way? I think a lot of people don't understand the systems of how does the food get there, where does it all come from, and really, the big role that Second Harvest has.

SARAH MOBERG: Sure. During the pandemic frame, we actually kept hunger at bay. And we did that because policymakers, business leaders, the entire community really stepped in during that time with financial contributions, with food contributions, with volunteering hours and advocacy hours that helped us put in place policies and programs that, again, kept-- where hunger could have really spiked, Minnesota really kept it at bay.

And so today, we need to come back to that place where hunger doesn't discriminate. It can touch all of us at any moment. And we need to come together to find that place where people are willing to step in and to lean in, to give just a little bit more, to make sure that the solution is ready for the community.

NINA MOINI: Is this something that you think plays a big role, say, during the legislative session? Is there anything that you all are asking lawmakers for this coming session? Are you relying more on individual or company-style donations? Or what's the help that you're in need of to make this work?

SARAH MOBERG: Well, and that's the magic. It will take all of that. Everything you just listed really needs to come to play in a much larger way than it has over the last couple of years. What we will start to see, as some of the new SNAP policies hit at the local level, we will start to see more people seeking help at food shelves. And when that happens, local food shelves are already struggling to keep food on the shelves, to keep employees, to keep the food shelves staffed. And we'll need to make sure that neighbors have a place to get that emergency relief when they need it.

Now, that said, all of our hunger relief network combined cannot backfill the meals lost through the reduction in the SNAP funding. And so that truly is where we're going to have-- we're going to need to think differently and collectively about how might we fill that in. And policy will play a big role in that.

NINA MOINI: And just lastly, Sarah, as we're-- it's starting to get a little cooler out. It's almost October. And by the time some of the holidays start to roll around, my understanding just from past stories I've done is that there are even more visitors to food banks in the winter or around the holiday season. Can you just talk about this? It almost feels like it's a collision of different events that are happening with the SNAP cuts and record hunger that people are facing. What do you think is going to happen this winter? Or what needs to happen?

SARAH MOBERG: Well, we are going to need to show up and be generous, as our community tends and historically has been. And you're right. There will be families who will be trying to prepare for a family gathering. You will have schools that may be out of session for longer breaks period, either in November or December.

And so some of those meals that our kids are receiving at schools need to shift, and parents need to be able to provide those in the home setting. And so certainly, volunteering time and money and food, either at the local food shelf or through a food bank, will be important to help our neighbors get through the next few months.

NINA MOINI: Something to think about. All right, Sarah, thank you for your time.

SARAH MOBERG: Thanks so much for having me.

NINA MOINI: That was Sarah Moberg, the new CEO of Second Harvest Heartland.