Milwaukeeans can visit food pantries, mobile markets and community-powered fridges for assistance. (NNS file photo by Jonathan Aguilar / Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service / CatchLight Local)
By PrincessSafiya Byers
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.
As October comes to an end, the threat of missing FoodShare and WIC benefits looms for people across Wisconsin and across the nation.
In an Oct. 10 letter, Sasha Gersten-Paal, director of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s development division, said: “SNAP has funding available for benefits and operations through the month of October. However, if the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation.”
Nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites receive food and nutrition assistance through FoodShare.
Here are some things you can do if you live in Milwaukee and may be impacted by a lack of food resources in November.
Food resources
If you or someone you know needs emergency food, call 2-1-1, or visit the IMPACT 211 website.
Hunger Task Forces’ Mobile Market : Operating as a grocery store on wheels, the Mobile Market provides healthy and affordable food options to families. The Mobile Market offers 25% off all items beyond Piggly Wiggly’s prices.
To find out where the Mobile Market will be next, you can look at the Hunger Task Force website.
Community-powered fridges: In September, Tricklebee Café, One MKE and Metcalfe Park Community Bridges opened a community-powered fridge. Several more are planned to open.
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin provides a pantry locator and distributes food to partners across the region.
UMOS operates a food pantry for residents in the 53207 and 53221 ZIP codes, as well as all first-time visitors.
NourishMKE is a network of community food centers that provides a market-style experience for selecting and preparing food.
Milwaukee Christian Center offers community services, including a food pantry.
Tricklebee Café hosts a pay-what-you-can community café that provides meals.
Milwaukee County Senior Dining Program provides nutritious lunches to seniors 59 and older at various senior centers.
Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.