Milwaukee County food insecurity during holiday season

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee County officials held a news conference on Tuesday, Dec. 9 to highlight the efforts being made to address food insecurity during the holiday season. 

Addressing food insecurity

What we know:

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, County Board Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson-Bovell, and food pantry partners provided an update as to how the $150,000 appropriation transfer from the county’s contingency fund to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is providing supplemental food assistance for residents affected by the recent government shutdown and ongoing food insecurity challenges.

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DHHS has partnered with 13 local food pantries to distribute nutritious, perishable foods to households most impacted by food insecurity. 

Even with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits restored, food pantries experienced increased demand for fresh foods that continues to persist across the community. 

What they're saying:

Emani Taylor is among the group of volunteers stepping in to help fill 350 bags on Tuesday for families in need at Nourish MKE. 

"We're here today with the bodies to help move the food along," Taylor said. "There's a lot of disparities in the cities. And so when you just think about the level of disparities, naturally everyone that is a resident within that area is going to be impacted."

Fund and how they help

Dig deeper:

"$150,000 in additional funds will allow our department of health and human services to provide supplemental food assistance for resident that were affected by the recent government shutdown and ongoing food insecurity challenges," Crowley said. 

The money is coming from the county's contingency fund. It will give 13 local food pantries help with providing and distributing food to those who need it most. 

Milwaukee County leaders say 230,000 people living in the county rely on Food Share benefits, which makes efforts even more crucial. 

It's important to note, food pantries in southeast Wisconsin are always taking donations.