Addressing Hunger in Waushara County

Nov 23, 2019 | Growing Our Communities

Food insecurity is a critical issue in Waushara County. Although the county has a lower unemployment rate than the national average, the child poverty rate is higher than the state rate. Working families continue to struggle to access three healthy meals a day; food pantries are a necessity to many county residents.

The Waushara County Food Pantry is a unique collaboration of volunteers, businesses, and organizations, both locally and nationally, who are committed to providing nutritional food for the residents of Waushara County. The Pantry serves approximately 800 families every month and is sourced from locations around the state.

Volunteers at the food pantry work tirelessly to ensure individuals and families who need a helping hand receive the resources necessary to live their best life. But preserving and providing fresh food to families is a challenge. The solution is rooted in determination, volunteers and funding partnerships.

Grants from the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin helped the Waushara County Food pantry purchase a 27-foot refrigerated truck, allowing volunteer drivers to secure fresh produce from sources up to three hours away.

We are so grateful to the funding we received from the Foundation. Being able to purchase the refrigerated truck was instrumental to the growth and survival of our food pantry. Prior to that, we could only travel up to 45 minutes away because the food would spoil. The funding we received to purchase the truck has really changed our food pantry’s life forever.

Marty Lee
Executive Director

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