This holiday season, the Masjid An-Nur mosque is distributing 40,000 pounds of food. Their food service program isn't new, but the message and effort never gets old.
"It started off as a small effort to help to feed many families in our own congregation," Imam Makram El-Amin said.
While food is being hauled in, folks like Joe Jenkins and Priscilla Robinson are lining up. They both say the help is appreciated.
"At this time of the month, I'm out of food, totally out, so I have to depend on places like this," Jenkins said.
Robinson says the food is a lifesaver.
"It means that it's a blessing for me, right, because a lot of people are struggling. Times are hard," she said.
The need for food assistance is real, but things are headed in the right direction in Hennepin County. In September 2015, the number of people who needed food assistance was 129,661. In September 2016, the number had dropped to 119,329, which is a 2.5 percent decrease.
El-Amin says the food donations are about serving families in need.
"We don't turn anyone down," he said.
