Milwaukee’s Summer Meals Strategy Becomes a Blueprint for Rural Food Access

Summertime is a peak season for childhood hunger as students go without meals they would normally receive at school. To combat summer hunger, the federal Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides nutritious meals to children aged 18 or younger during the summer months. Hunger Task Force locally administers the SFSP in such a large and inclusive way that it’s often dubbed the “Milwaukee Model.” This coordinated effort is more than a blueprint for urban success; it is a powerful engine for statewide change.

Thanks to the commitment of community partners and meal providers, Hunger Task Force helped coordinate 686,224 meals this summer across Milwaukee County. This was achieved through a vast network of 208 meal sites. “A summer meal program requires extensive collaboration,” shared Tania Ramsey, Child Nutrition Organizer. “Hunger Task Force works with school districts, non-profit organizations, sponsors and county services to fill the summer nutrition gap.”

Another achievement in 2025 was translating the lessons of the Milwaukee Model into access to summer meals for rural Wisconsin. Using the new federal allowance for permanent non-congregate (take-home) meal programs in rural areas, Hunger Task Force served as the central organizer, strategically coordinating with Wisconsin partners to reach families outside of Milwaukee County who needed it most.

Hunger Task Force translated the Milwaukee Model into vital, equitable access for rural Wisconsin. Our outreach and technical assistance activated summer meal offerings in 16 new Wisconsin counties that had previously lacked these critical programs. Children in Ashland, Iron, Jackson, Walworth and a dozen other counties, spanning from Lake Superior to the Driftless Area, now have reliable access to summer nutrition.

Tania and the Advocacy Department provided the organizational expertise and support necessary to empower 40 sponsors across 73 rural meal sites. This included guiding new partners, such as the West De Pere School District and Adams–Friendship School District, to successfully enroll and expand their reach, proving our core commitment to fighting hunger in every corner of the state.

Since its inception in 1974, childhood hunger has been a priority and leading cause for Hunger Task Force. In a city where 1 in 4 children go to bed hungry, summer hunger is a harsh reality. “Hunger Task Force works to ensure families can find help and resources with dignity,” says Matt King, Hunger Task Force CEO. “We are continuing to develop partnerships and innovative solutions to address summer hunger, because no child should go hungry.”

Hunger Task Force remains dedicated to building on this momentum. We will prioritize advocating for and promoting SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) benefits and strengthening our crucial on-site community meal programs, ensuring every child in Milwaukee continues to have reliable nutrition. Simultaneously, we are committed to broadening our reach, utilizing the successful Milwaukee Model to expand support for summer meals across the entire state. Our focus remains clear: no child in Wisconsin should face a hungry summer.

Hunger Task Force is Milwaukee’s Free & Local food bank and Wisconsin’s anti-hunger leader. The organization’s core values are Dignity, Justice, Equity, Compassion and Stewardship. Hunger Task Force feeds people today by providing healthy and culturally appropriate food to hungry children, families and seniors in the community absolutely free of charge. Hunger Task Force also works to end future hunger by advocating for strong public policies and nutrition programs at the local, state and federal level.