As we mentioned on Rural Minnesota Radio last week, the Center has created an infographic on the summer meals program for children who receive free and reduced-price lunches during the school year. While we were putting this illustrated fact sheet together, we learned a couple of interesting things: first, hunger isn’t just an urban issue. We noted plenty of rural counties with percentages as high as or higher than those of Hennepin and Ramsey counties. Also, we learned that the Minnesota Department of Education administers an extensive summer food program, but rural areas have some unique challenges when it comes to making the program work there.

This infographic is titled The Rural Reality, and it’s the first in what we hope will be several infographics we create this year to show the reality of life in rural Minnesota, good, bad and neutral. It’s all part of our effort this year to help rural Minnesota find its voice. As the Blandin Foundation’s recent Rural Pulse survey found, even metro residents believe rural Minnesota is being left out of many statewide discussions.

So check back periodically and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to find out when we release further research and pieces like The Rural Reality.

To see The Rural Reality infographic, “Who Feeds Our Children During the Summer?” or our report “Finding the Voice of Rural Minnesota,” visit our home page and look for the links.