WFSC Road Trip: Minocqua/Rhinelander
Background
In early 2009, the Wisconsin Food Security Consortium decided that instead of hosting four quarterly Full Consortium meetings in Madison, the steering committee and interested Consortium members would branch out and visit other areas of the state. On June 24, the steering committee set out on its first official road trip: to the Minocqua/Rhinelander area.
Lakeland Food Pantry, Woodruff, WI
Upon arrival in Woodruff, just north of Minocqua, the Consortium was invited to the Lakeland Food Pantry where Hope for the Hungry, a local hunger coalition, was set to meet. The group consisted of local food pantry managers, CAP service directors, and UW-Extension Nutrition Education Program coordinators from Iron, Vilas, Oneida, and Langlade Counties.
Agenda:
9:00 am 9:15 am 9:30 am 10:00 am 10:15 am 10:30 am 11:00 am |
Welcome and Introductions Background of Hope for the Hungry HFTH Member introductions Discussion of the First Wisconsin Poverty Report New WIC package update Question/Answer Session/Emerging Issues Adjourn |
After some early difficulty in connecting to the Consortium members who were listening by phone, the conversation quickly turned from introductions into insightful conversation about the successes, frustrations, and unique challenges that face the North. As the conversation grew, it became apparent that the agenda would be mostly discarded in favor of free-flowing discussion that was much more valuable to both the Hope for the Hungry members and the Consortium steering committee.
Topics discussed:
- The high prevalence of senior, disabled, and mentally ill populations in the north, all of whom face challenges in accessing nutrition assistance and emergency food through traditional avenues;
The lack of public or private high-speed Internet access--or Internet access whatsoever-- which makes sharing resources and utilizing online resources such as ACCESS much more difficult. This is coupled with low computer literacy in some populations and other challenges in communication such as limited cell phone coverage;
The use of 211 to refer pantry recipients who need support in other areas;
How to best provide services while adhering to the TEFAP requirements of not asking for income verification; and
Ongoing struggles with regional food banks, vendors, and donors.
Touring Lakeland
After this meeting, the steering committee was invited to tour the Lakeland Food Pantry, which has recently been gifted a large new building. As is the case with many pantries around the state, Lakeland has developed its own system to best accommodate the needs of its community while simultaneously treating recipients with dignity and respect.
A color-coded system of calendars and forms allows the recipients which days they can attend the pantry. Volunteers help distribute food, personal essentials, and other products to the recipients and well-trained staff were readily available to answer questions. Behind the scenes, white boards hanging above freezers indicate what foods the volunteers will be working with that week. Throughout the building, literature about FoodShare, 211, WIC, and other programs is set out for those who may be interested.
Rhinelander Area Food Pantry, Rhinelander, WI
From Woodruff, the steering committee and several members of Hope for the Hungry caravanned along WI-47 to Rhinelander. The first stop on this leg (not to be confused with the four table legs presented in Ending Hunger in Wisconsin), was the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry, which resides within the Nativity of Our Lord Thrift Shop in Rhinelander.
Physically, this pantry was much different than Lakeland-- it operated mostly out of a single room where recipients would have to file in order to receive their foods. While Lakeland was all on a single level, Rhinelander needed to access additional storage space in the basement of their building. Since this is clearly not an ideal situation for volunteers or managers, local funds had been raised to install a single floor elevator.
While each pantry visited on the tour was physically different, it was clear that both communities, as well as pantries across the state best make use of whatever they have available. Nothing goes to waste, include space.
Rhinelander Community Garden, Rhinelander, WI
The final stop on the tour was the Rhinelander Community Garden. In recent seasons, this community and volunteer-operated, herbicide and pesticide-free garden has provided thousands of pounds of fresh produce straight to the food pantry. Here, the importance of building connections between two separate "table legs" (Access to Affordable & Healthy Food and Emergency Food Assistance) was visible in every vegetable.
The garden itself was a small plot, under an acre, nested within a parking lot less than a mile from the food pantry. Guarded from pests and vandals by a chain-link fence, nearly every inch of the garden is put to use. Immediately upon entering, a hand-crafted star-shaped herb planter welcomes all newcomers. In the center, a small shed containing tools, seed, and pelletized chicken waste (which is a crucial soil additive in this area). From the center, rows upon rows of tomatoes, broccoli, onions, peas, and more spread across the garden, with room for a small border of insect-controlling flowers along the fenceline. At the back, a compost heap turned any waste back into much-needed mulch.
As was explained to the tour group, while the growing season at this latitude is significantly shorter than more Southern areas of the state, anything that can be grown in Madison can be grown here as well, with the proper techniques.
Not only does the Rhinelander community use the garden to support its food pantry, it also offers plenty of opportunities for education. As volunteers who happened to be working in the garden joined the tour, they explained that they felt a sense of pride for giving back to the food pantry and their community.
Conclusions
The warm reception of the Food Security Consortium in the northern part of the state was a testament to the fact that due to travel constraints, Internet and cell phone limitations, and other unique challenges, the North often feels disconnected from goings-on in Madison, Milwaukee, and elsewhere. While the problems that these areas face have many similarities to other communities in Wisconsin, it becomes difficult to share best practices and techniques that work. In turn, this region has implemented its own creative and innovative solutions to tackle the food insecurity and hunger in its communities.
While the Wisconsin Food Security Consortium is dedicated to ending hunger throughout Wisconsin, this trip has highlighted the fact that future projects and initiatives must include additional efforts to include our allies in all corners of the state as well as an understanding of the unique frustrations certain areas may face.
Support for this site has been made possible by the Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Council of Churches, and the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association.