Nicolet College ‘Sticks it to Hunger’

Helping people struggling with food insecurity starts with letting them know what help is available to them locally. That is why Feed Our Rural Kids collaborated with the Vilas and Oneida County Departments of Human Services to create FORK’s Family Food Helpline — a toll-free, confidential source of information related to free and reduced-cost food support programming.

Spreading awareness of the Helpline number (888-479- FORK) is a broad educational challenge, which has been an expensive and time-consuming endeavor for the all-volunteer organization, according to a FORK press release.

This is why the Vilas and Oneida County Social Services is now partnering with Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) to combat food insecurity in the Northwoods through a NEW “Stick It to Hunger” campaign.

“Our goal is to place Family Food Helpline stickers on the upper right-hand corner of every bathroom mirror across both Oneida and Vilas counties: private business, schools, government buildings, churches, and all other public buildings, explained FORK president Perry Pokrandt. 

Pokrandt continued, “We are now excited to announce that these Family Food Helpline Stickers will be displayed in bathrooms across the Nicolet College Campus.”

Nicolet College President Kate Ferrel, a member of the FORK Board of Directors, shared the project’s long-term objectives.

“For about a dime a sticker, we can be ‘need facing’ for up to five years,” Ferrel added. “It’s a big deal as last year, food insecurity affected 13.5% of U.S. households.” 

Food insecurity is unpredictable at best and that help can be needed by anyone at any time. In fact, the average food insecure household struggles with food insecurity for 7 months during the year. So, no one really knows which of our friends, family members or neighbors is experiencing food insecurity at any given moment in time.  

Ferrel concluded, “That’s why Nicolet college will ‘Stick it to Hunger’!”

“Cost-effective communication is essential, as the greatest challenge for the helpline will always be, finding creative and cost-effective ways to keep 888-479-FORK (3675) ‘top-of-mind’ with area residents,” explained Oneida County Human Services director Mary Rideout. “Our hope is that we can enlist the support of local partners across both counties, who will help us to place Family Food Helpline stickers on bathroom mirrors in area businesses, schools, churches, government and other public buildings.”

FORK is inviting local businesses in the area to be part of the Stick It to Hunger initiative. Any interested businesses located in Vilas or Oneida County  can email [email protected] to arrange for your stickers to be delivered.

If you represent an organization in Vilas or Oneida county and are interested in learning more about how your group might help with this project, please reach out to Stick it to Hunger project Chairperson Lynn Kenning at [email protected], or call her at 312-543-1801.