County Provides Aid to Local Food Pantries
Funding approved after government shutdown disrupted federal food aid.
Grocery store shelves. Photo by Sophie Bolich.
Milwaukee County distributed $150,000 to local food pantries during the holiday season this year.
When the federal government shutdown imperiled the state food assistance program FoodShare this past fall, the Milwaukee County Board pulled the $150,000 from the county’s rainy-day fund to provide food aid locally.
The board voted on the issue just days after FoodShare saw a lapse in funding support from the federal government. The next day, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to restore food benefits despite the ongoing shutdown, and Gov. Tony Evers responded before the administration could appeal and announced the state would restore benefits.
The county Department of Health and Human Services worked with NourishMKE, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and Hunger Task Force to provide support for 13 local food pantries.
“In Milwaukee County, more than 230,000 residents rely on FoodShare, including older adults, children, veterans, people with disabilities, and many more,” Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said in a statement. “Simply put, access to food assistance and nutrition programs is critical to the health and prosperity of Wisconsin working families.”
The county has also partnered with the City of Milwaukee, NourishMKE and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin on a countywide food drive for SNAP recipients.
Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson Bovell, who authored the county board resolution, said it provided funding to “keep families fed during these challenging times.”
The board also passed a resolution declaring “Food Apartheid” a public health emergency. The designation is not intended to be symbolic, but rather to describe how food access, or lack thereof, is a product of public policy.
“This effort recognizes that often food insecurity is rooted in decades of inequity and disinvestment,” Nicholson said.
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Well, learning Milwaukee County has 230,00 relying on food pantries and has estimated 925,000 population is 25% in need of food for the elders, vets, children, disabled and everyday mothers and fathers feeding their kids. The U.S. Department of Agriculture cut a billion $ from the Emergency Food Assistance Program as prices are going up for food. Seems we lost all our moral judgement, compassion and empathy to towards one and other, from the top down. Hopefully your article on Urban Milwaukee with enlighten some minds of the crisis. Snap … Congress has made huge cuts and changes eligibility requirements for SNAP, Medicaid, and Medicare. Seems our citizens are at the low end of the totem pole to make America great again. Tragic… we need to take it upon ourselves to help others in need… Please reach out to the food banks, pantries, shelters etc.: Kinship, House of Peace, NouishMKE, make a donation, make sandwiches, help in anyway.. Please care for others in need…
Disappointed there is no mention of proof of need. I know many are truly needy and rely on food banks. I also know the entitled class who admits it can afford to buy food, utilizes food banks so their food budget can be spent on “fun things,” like gambling, alcohol and drugs. These selfish creatures even utilized food banks during the government shutdown when federal employees working without pay were dipping into their savings accounts to pay the bills and meet basic needs. When a guy at the bus stop told me it’s not his fault they decided to work for the federal government, that was it for me. No more donations to any food banks, until they start asking for proof of need, like an unemployment letter or SNAP card. I have questioned several folks who volunteer at food banks and although some suspect there are scammers, not one food bank I know of asks for proof of need. A bidg mistake, IMO.