March 2022 Newsletter
Lindsay Stayton Photography
Connecting the Community
In August of 1982, we received our first-ever donation: 600 pounds of apples from a local grower. We’ve come a long way in the four decades since then. Today, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin distributes about 60 million pounds of food per year!
That’s a LOT of apples . . . and so much more. All to say, there’s a buzz of excitement around our offices as we celebrate our 40th anniversary. I consider you a big part of that celebration. Because we wouldn’t be here without you.
“It Was Hard to Ask for Help”
Asking for help didn’t come easily for Mary, who spent 20 years as a nurse helping patients in pediatrics, orthopedics, and oncology. But when she was diagnosed with lung and heart disease, things suddenly changed.
“It was hard to ask for help,” says Mary, 73. “I was used to helping.”
She started working at a grocery store to try to make ends meet, but the pay wasn’t as good. Sometimes her hours were cut, or sometimes she’d miss work due to illness.
A Full Shelf for West Bend Seniors
Tuesday is senior day at Full Shelf Food Pantry in West Bend, where the volunteers are passionate about getting food to their elderly neighbors.
Full Shelf is completely run by dedicated volunteers — more than 240 every month!
Not even a pandemic could keep these faithful folks from serving. During COVID-19, the volunteers separated into two groups that worked on a rotation. If an infection broke out amongst one group, the other group could keep food flowing through the pantry and into the hands of those who need it.
Fighting Hunger for Our Heroes
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is proud to help serve those who have served our country. Unfortunately, veterans are almost twice as likely to be food insecure compared to the general population. They’re also more likely to face such challenges as PTSD, anxiety, depression, and homelessness.
In Wisconsin, there are an estimated 330 veterans experiencing homelessness. But we’ve partnered with some amazing organizations who are addressing that.
A Pantry Director on the Move
Marty is the executive director of Waushara County Food Pantry, one of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s pantry partners.
But she calls herself the “working director,” because she’s rarely in her office. More often, you’ll find Marty in the warehouse moving pallets of food, driving trucks, lugging food boxes out to recipients’ cars, and making sure everyone is well fed and in good spirits.
Marty compares life to the game Jenga, in that we must make careful choices. Some decisions are easy, and others leave us a little unstable. And sometimes when we least expect it, a block from beneath us is taken outside of our control, and the whole thing tumbles down.
This Volunteer is Driving Out Hunger
Todd frequently passed by the Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin food bank in Appleton on his way to and from work. He always thought it would be a great place to volunteer once he retired.
Sure enough, one Sunday afternoon Todd came across an ad for the food bank and said to himself, “I think now’s a good time!”
He went to the food bank’s website and contacted the volunteer engagement coordinator. With a commercial driver’s license, Todd was able to jump right in as a truck driver.
