Food Pantry Donations Lower, Demand Higher
As families find their budgets squeezed, local food pantries try to keep up with increased demand
By Angela Simmons
Thousands of people are visiting food pantries for the first time due to the staggering U.S. economy. Several of Madison's largest food distributors have found their supply low in donations, and yet, high in demand.
St. Vincent de Paul, which relocated to 1309 Culmen St. in
August 2005, is the largest food pantry in Dane County, serving nearly
20,000 households in 2006, and over 32,000 people last year.
"Food drives and donations have been the same over the years, but usage
of the food pantry has gone up," says Chris Kane, food pantry manager
at St. Vincent de Paul.
St. Vincent de Paul distributed $850,000 dollars worth of food last
year with its "customer-choice model." Working like a grocery store,
the customer-choice model allows clients to choose the food that they
need and minimize unwanted items that may otherwise go to waste.
Kane says food pantries have changed from an emergency food source to a
place people can go to on a regular basis. Now, "[People] can use food
money to pay other bills," says Kane. He hopes St. Vincent de Paul's
food supply provides less stress for those stretching their budget.
Food can be dropped off at the pantry anytime. Donating is simple and
people can call directly (278-2920) or visit their website at svdpmadison.org.
Neighborhoods are encouraged to set up their own food drives, too. St.
Vincent de Paul will supply the collection barrels and pick them up.
Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, Inc. celebrated
its twentieth anniversary in 2006, and in 2007 completed the
construction of its "Build a Future To End Hunger" warehouse that more
than doubled in size. In the same year, Second Harvest acquired 6.5
million pounds of food to distribute to over four hundred programs in
sixteen counties.
According to Anna Nelson, external relations manager at Second Harvest,
the food bank and its partners service more than 82,000 people a year,
including families with children, the elderly, those with low-wage jobs
or those with no job at all. Second Harvest also serves single parents,
and individuals forced to choose between paying bills and buying food.
From July to September 2008, Second Harvest has distributed 1.7 million
pounds of food, despite the decrease in donations. "Food donations have
decreased, but we will not be able to evaluate the true impact of the
economic changes until January 2009," Nelson says, noting that food
programs are making an effort to develop smarter methods of preserving
food and reducing waste.
"These programs are able to focus on providing the food free to community members in need," Nelson says.
Second Harvest and NBC15 just finished their "Share Your Holidays to
Eliminate Hunger" campaign. Make a donation by calling 223-9121 or by
visiting secondharvestmadison.org.
In anticipation of the holidays, many families in Dane County are
counting on successful food drives to provide a great meal.
UW--Madison's Red and White Hunger Fight
was one of them. Students from more than seventy campus organizations,
faculty members and local businesses committed to the largest food
drive attempted by the university, held on November 12. "[It was] a
collaborative effort," says Anne Whisner, civic management coordinator
at the Morgridge Center for Public Service.
Sophomore and UW soccer player Michele Dalton organized the food drive.
Upon arriving at UW--Madison two years ago, Dalton knew she wanted to
volunteer in the Madison community, but wasn't sure how. After
remembering an experience she had at her former high school in
Prospect, Ill., Dalton began circulating a proposal for a large-scale
food drive. With guidance from Whisner, Dalton contacted different
campus organizations and received a very positive response. Dalton
presented her idea to the Morgridge Center.
Though optimistic, Dalton is aware of the shortage in food donations.
"It's an unfortunate truth, but I believe people are less willing to
donate simply because of the uncertainty of the economy," said Dalton.
Volunteers "tagged and bagged" grocery bags on the doors of residents'
homes. An attached flyer explained the goal, calling awareness to
hunger issues in the Madison area.
People were instructed to put food in the bags, and a week later
volunteers returned to the home and collected the bags. "We're hoping
that our neighbors will realize that even one small can [of food] will
make a difference for a family that may even live right next door,"
said Dalton.
The Red and White Hunger Fight accumulated over four thousand pounds of
food and two thousand dollars in donations, Whisner says. Campus
organizations like the Army ROTC collected 1,200 pounds of food and
WISPIRG donated over one thousand dollars. The food drive's success
gained the attention of several agencies in the Madison area, some of
which are interested in being involved in next year's food drive.
Whisner says the food drive was a success, and that hopefully
"educational awareness" about hunger issues and poverty were raised in
the Madison community.
Dalton hopes that the idea of giving, shown by the Red and White Hunger
Fight, will continue to thrive on UW-Madison's campus for years to come.
All food for the Red and White Hunger Fight was collected November 12
and delivered to the Community Action Coalition of South Central
Wisconsin (CAC). A fundraiser was scheduled for Nov. 26 at the CAC
building. The money raised went toward purchasing food for Thanksgiving
baskets.
More Information
St. Vincent de Paul
svdpmadison.org
Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, Inc
secondharvestmadison.org
Red and White Hunger Fight
morgridge.wisc.edu/students/fooddrive.html
