Lee Schafer's column on hunger cited a University of Minnesota study conducted for Second Harvest regarding "missing meals," which concluded that "each of the state's 956,000 low-income people was missing, on average, 10 meals a month" ("A business approach to fighting hunger," April 21).

The key words here are "low-income people." While the actions of Hunger-Free Minnesota and its corporate partners is laudable, a good part of this problem could be solved by raising the minimum wage and/or paying a "living wage" for all jobs in our state.

It wouldn't erase poverty, but it would allow more Minnesotans with the means to provide meals for their families without resorting to food shelves.

DORIS RUBENSTEIN, Richfield