Milwaukee food pantry reopens after flooding forces monthslong closure

Milwaukee food pantry reopens after flooding forces monthslong closure

Ebenezer Stone Ministries reopened in Milwaukee after flooding shut down its warehouse, restoring food distribution to 42 pantries serving thousands across southeast Wisconsin.

MILWAUKEE - A south side nonprofit food pantry warehouse is back open after flooding last August forced it to shut down for months and halt service to dozens of area pantries.

What we know:

Ebenezer Stone Ministries, which partners with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, has reopened in a new warehouse on Burnham Street, moving operations out of a flood zone after the previous facility took on several inches of water and suffered tens of thousands of dollars in damage.

The organization redistributes food to 42 pantries serving thousands of people across the region. During the closure, thousands of pounds of food spoiled, leaving partner pantries without a steady supply.

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"We are really trying to ramp back up our food intake. Because we had to stop. But a lot of pantries are starting to come back in and get acclimated again," said Michael Haas, executive director of Ebenezer Stone Ministries.

Haas said the disruption left a gap for families already struggling with rising costs.

What they're saying:

"The pantries didn’t have anywhere to go because they couldn’t get any food," he said.

After months of rebuilding, the organization says it is now fully operational again, with pantries already returning for supplies.

"With the rising cost of food and the rising cost of gas, this building serves a purpose," Haas said.

The reopening comes as demand continues to grow, with leaders pointing to ongoing financial pressures on families across southeast Wisconsin.

"There is a good desert everywhere. So with the rising costs that are happening and people not knowing what to do this allows us to put a footprint in West Allis and beyond," Haas said.

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Even after relocating, recent flooding in southeast Wisconsin brought back difficult memories for leaders.

"It definitely gave me flashbacks to what happened last year in August. There were so many people affected by it," said Hayden Penkert, president of the organization’s board of directors.

What you can do:

The nonprofit is now encouraging anyone impacted by recent flooding to seek help, emphasizing that community support helped make its reopening possible. Leaders say they are also looking for volunteers and donations.

For more, visit the pantry's website.