February 17, 2016 at 4:53 p.m.
Rhinelander Area Food Pantry releases 2015 year-end report
Rhinelander Area Food Pantry releases 2015 year-end report
"We greatly appreciate any and all support and are particularly thankful to those who respond to our annual fundraising letter or contribute regularly, and to the many food/fund drives or fund matching challenges sponsored by local individuals, groups, businesses and industries," pantry officials said in a press release. "We also owe a very special thank you to the dozens and dozens of people who volunteer their time daily, weekly or monthly to haul, unload, weigh, sort, stack, stock and distribute food and to Jane Motowski, our pantry manager, who make it all happen. Although we receive welcome support and advice from the local UW-Extension staff and we get some help from the federal government through monthly commodity distributions (about 6 percent of our food needs) and occasional grants, we receive no state, county or local government funding. As a result of the generosity of individuals, groups and businesses, and the hard work of our dedicated volunteers we were able to provide an average of 79 pounds of food per household visit last year, enough food for a week or more. This included thousands of pounds of fresh vegetables from the Community Garden, private gardens and produce donated by Feeding America through our local WalMart. We also supplied Weekend Food for Kids backpacks to all elementary students who were interested and eligible, as well as, emergency food as needed, and still met all our expenses."
Here are some additional statistics from the last year.
In 2015 the pantry:
• Distributed 575,988 pounds of food (11,077 pounds/week) to needy area households.
• Provided an additional 20,726 pounds of food directly to children through the Weekend Food for Kids program.
• Served a monthly average of 424 households (including an average of 20 new households each month). Almost half of the pantry's customers return for a second visit after two weeks resulting in an average of 609 household visits to the pantry each month. Pantry customers were 27 percent children, 54 percent age 18-64 and 19 percent seniors.
• Operated more efficiently and effectively from 627 Coon St. with over 18,000 hours of volunteer help.
• Provided over 1,500 starter tomato, pepper, broccoli and cabbage plants from the greenhouse for customers to grow at home, in addition to those plants needed for the Community Garden.
• Provided space for nutrition education through the Wisconsin Nutrition Education Program staff, GED and other academic assistance through Nicolet College Academic Success staff, and a small library offering free books and magazines through Pauline Doucette and others.
"A donation of $126 or $10.50 per month provides about half of the food needs for a household of four for about three months (six pantry visits) or provides enough food for one student for one school year in the Weekend Food for Kids program," the release notes.
Comments:
You must login to comment.