Spring Reflections from CEO Matt King: Hunger Task Force is Expanding Access to Fresh, Local Food

With our community’s commitment to Hunger Task Force’s Free & Local mission, families across our community and Wisconsin are finding stability in moments that might otherwise feel uncertain.

I want to begin with my deepest gratitude. Together, we are ensuring that children, older adults and families across our state have access to the food they need to live healthy, dignified lives. This is our impact.

Today, that impact reaches every corner of Wisconsin. Through the Hunger Relief Federation, our network has grown to more than 250 partner organizations, collectively serving nearly 180,000 people each month. What began as a shared mission has become a truly statewide collaboration – neighbors helping neighbors in every community.

At the same time, we continue to respond to growing need. Rising costs including housing, groceries, fuel and utilities have placed increasing pressure on low-income households. Over the past two years, we have seen a more than 50% increase in the number of people turning to food assistance. Behind every number is a family doing their best to make ends meet. And they do because of friends like you.

“As a mother, I am so grateful to everybody who makes sure children are getting fresh fruits and vegetables and to all the people who donate to make sure Hunger Task Force can continue this work.”

– Phyllis C., Food Pantry Client

Even amid these challenges, there has been enormous success from our collective efforts; this is proof that when we work together with a generous spirit, we can make a difference in the lives of others and strengthen our communities.

This past year, Hunger Task Force and our Voices Against Hunger contingency successfully advocated for the creation of a state-funded food purchasing program in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. We’ve been entrusted to administer $2.5 million of this funding and will be investing 100% of funds in food purchases from small to mid-sized farmers and producers in Wisconsin. Every pound and every penny will be administered free of charge.

In addition, we launched the Farm to Food Bank Fund to support local producers impacted by the sudden loss of the federal Local Food Purchase Assistance program. Thanks to the support of our donors, we were able to step in and continue commitments abandoned by the federal government. These efforts are about more than food, they are investments in Wisconsin agriculture, helping small and mid-sized family farms access new markets while ensuring fresh, locally produced food reaches families in need.

“Having a reliable buyer has given us the confidence to expand our production and grow in ways we wouldn’t otherwise be able to.”

– Ying Lo, GreenGold Gardens

The government shutdown this past fall also underscored the importance of our public safety net. When SNAP benefits were interrupted during the shutdown, visits to food pantries doubled over a three-week period. With strong community support, we were able to meet that surge in demand and serve every person who came to us for help. But this moment reinforced just how essential SNAP is.

Looking ahead, policy changes to SNAP will impact many of our neighbors, including new work requirements for older adults, parents of teenagers and individuals experiencing homelessness, as well as changes affecting refugees and asylees who are no longer eligible.

In response, Hunger Task Force is working closely with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services and our network partners to ensure that those affected are informed, supported and connected to resources. We have also embedded employment and training partner services within our access points to help individuals navigate these changes and move toward long-term stability.

“FoodShare was there for me and my siblings during the most difficult and challenging times in our lives, when we are most vulnerable.”

– Vanchai F., FoodShare recipient

As needs evolve, so must our approach. Hunger Task Force summer meals organizing efforts have expanded statewide to rural communities, where we helped increase meals served from more than 400,000 last year to over 1.2 million this year. We have also begun collaborating with anti-hunger leaders across the country to form an independent food bank coalition, an effort designed to strengthen our collective impact by sharing resources, coordinating strategies and advocating together, while remaining deeply rooted in the unique needs of our local communities.

Even as federal nutrition education programs have been reduced, we remain committed to helping families make the most of the food they receive. Hunger Task Force continues to invest in nutrition education, ensuring that access to healthy food is paired with the knowledge and confidence to prepare it. We are also in the process of making our nutrition education available online for free to any individual, organization or classroom, anywhere.

“The quality of the nutrition education program is truly commendable, and it has been an invaluable learning opportunity for our students.”

– Clara Barton Elementary School

Access to fresh food also remains a top priority. Our Mobile Market has become more important than ever as communities and neighborhoods face the challenges of grocery store closures and food deserts. This winter we also increased our investments in fresh produce to ensure seamless, year-round access to fresh fruits and vegetables when Wisconsin farm production is paused. Speaking of farms, the Hunger Task Force Farm has 100,000 seedlings growing in the greenhouse, ready for another season ahead.

Through all of this, one thing remains constant: our mission is not possible without the generosity of our community.

Community support allows us to be responsive and strategic when challenges emerge, to invest in long-term solutions and to ensure that every Wisconsinite has access to the food they need to thrive. You are not just supporting this work, you are part of it.

Humbly,

Matt King
Chief Executive Officer

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 levels.