Meet Michelle Zimmermann, Grants & Prospect Research Manager at Hunger Task Force

Hunger Task Force is 100% community-supported and is Milwaukee’s only Free & Local food bank. Michelle Zimmermann has served as the organization’s Grants & Prospect Research Manager for the past five years and previously, for nearly six years prior, held the title of Grants & Development Manager.

In her role, Michelle serves as the chief grant writer and prospect researcher for Hunger Task Force. She manages and maintains a calendar of more than 240 annual grant requests and reports and collaborates across departments to do effectively do so. She also contributed to Hunger Task Force’s successful capital campaign by performing targeted research on campaign prospects and working collaboratively with campaign counsel and capital campaign leadership.

“I am proud to work at Hunger Task Force because of our mission,” said Michelle. “Even though my work is somewhat behind the scenes, I feel like what I am doing is essential to the fulfillment of our mission and, in that way, I am helping people. I believe in what we do and I love that we work to feed people with a focus on dignity and equity in service.”

In talking with representatives at the foundations and corporations that support Hunger Task Force, Michelle is always excited to share all the facets of Hunger Task Force’s work in the community.

“Funders who might only know us as a food bank are excited to learn that we also operate a 208-acre urban farm, offer community nutrition education and have an amazing Mobile Market. It really is amazing how many things we do,” adds Michelle.

Many of the companies and foundations Michelle works with are interested in not only giving money to support the Hunger Task Force mission but also getting involved in the hands-on community work to feed people in need. Michelle helps connect organizations financially supporting Hunger Task Force with volunteer opportunities in the Hunger Task Force volunteer center, on the Hunger Task Force Farm and in the community via opportunities on the Mobile Market and at community events.

Hunger Task Force team members are encouraged to volunteer to support community programming. Every year Michelle looks forward to distributing senior farmers’ market vouchers to low-income older adults in Milwaukee County to help make eating fresh fruits and vegetables more attainable for them.

“Participating at community voucher distributions is extremely meaningful to me because it puts everything I do into perspective,” adds Michelle. “I note the need and the number of people we are able to help by providing these vouchers, but my favorite part is being able to chat with the older adults and learning how they will benefit personally from receiving them.”

Michelle admires the generosity of the community and how much funding partners want to ensure their neighbors have access to healthy food with dignity. She takes great pride in telling the Hunger Task Force story of impact through grant writing and raising funds to ensure all of Hunger Task Force’s hunger relief partners across Wisconsin have stocked shelves and can meet the growing need for food in their communities.

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.