Battling food insecurity in Waukesha County; 'Race to Feed' aims to help

‘Race to Feed’ in Waukesha County

Hundreds of people are packing Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) in Pewaukee on Thursday night, Jan. 22, for a friendly competition. On the surface, the goal is to fill bags and boxes with food. But the "Race to Feed" is more about filling stomachs.

PEWAUKEE, Wis. - Hundreds of people are packing Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) in Pewaukee on Thursday night, Jan. 22, for a friendly competition. On the surface, the goal is to fill bags and boxes with food. But the "Race to Feed" is more about filling stomachs. 

WCTC's "Race to Feed"

By the numbers:

The flurry of food flying around at WCTC is called "Race to Feed." It's 52 teams stuffing eight items per bag, with 12 bags in a box, and filling 1,000 boxes. The goal is to see which team can do it the fastest. 

Susie Reed is the managing director of Blessings in a Backpack. The group will take the boxes to local schools. The food inside helps kids already receiving free or reduced lunch bridge the gap over weekends. 

Battling food insecurity

What they're saying:

"How big of a problem is food insecurity in Waukesha County?" asked FOX6's Bret Lemoine. 

"It’s a really big problem, Bret. The Dept. of Public Instruction estimates that there are about 11,000 children who suffer from food insecurity in Waukesha County alone," Reed answered.  "Food insecurity can sometimes bring some shame along with that.  We try to be discrete and anonymous."

Susie Reed

Reed's group makes sure each school has a three-week supply of food at all times. She said that is helpful for days like this Friday, when schools are closed because of extreme temperatures. 

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

"If they can’t get to the grocery store, if they can’t get to a food pantry – it really makes a difference that we’re able to provide a package of food for the weekend," Reed said. 

Back to the competition

What's next:

The top three teams will get a trophy and bragging rights. But the real prize is helping kids. 

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

This is the second year for "Race to Feed." Blessings in a Backpack hoped to drop off filled boxes on Friday, Jan. 23. With dropping temperatures and school closures, deliveries were pushed to Monday. 

What you can do:

If you would like to help the cause of Blessings in a Backpack, you are urged to make a donation online.