Resources
The following list of resources and links is broken down by the "Four Legs of the Table" as introduced in Ending Hunger in Wisconsin.
Leg 1 - Family Economic Security
ACCESS An online portal for health and nutrition resources that allows Wisconsin residents to check for eligibility and apply for federal nutrition and other benefit programs, including FoodShare, BadgerCare Plus, Medicaid, and SeniorCare.
BadgerCare Plus A Wisconsin program that provides publicly funded health insurance to qualifying uninsured groups.
Wisconsin Works (W2) A statewide program that provides monthly cash payments to eligible parents who participate in certain work activities that are meant to prepare them for regular employment. Also provides services to assist limited income parents in finding and keeping jobs.
Leg 2 - Access to Affordable and Healthy Food
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) A United States Department of Agriculture nutrition education program.
Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) Provides grants to provide low-income seniors with vouchers that can be redeemed for eligible food items at participating farmers’ markets and CSAs.
SHARE A food buying club with no income requirements that provides access to high quality foods at savings up to 30-50% off grocery store prices.
Wisconsin Nutrition Education Program (WNEP) A UW-Extension nutrition education program that helps limited resource families and individuals choose healthful diets, purchase and prepare healthful food and handle it safely, and become more food secure by spending their food dollars wisely. WNEP is made up of two federally-funded nutrition education programs—the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE).
Leg 3 - Federal Nutrition Programs
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) A United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that that provides subsidized food services for eligible children and functionally impaired adults in non-residential day care operations. Sponsors also receive USDA commodity food and nutrition education materials.
FoodShare Wisconsin’s Food Stamp program. This program provides food assistance in the form of an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card to qualifying low-income households. The EBT card is used like a debit card to buy food at retail outlets.
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) A federal meal program operated in public schools, nonprofit private schools, and residential child care institutions. It provides free or reduced price nutritionally balanced meals to children who qualify based on their family’s income.
School Breakfast Program (SBP) A federal meal program operated in public and nonprofit private schools which provides free or reduced price meals to children who qualify based on their family’s income.
Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) A federal meal program that provides reimbursements to schools, non-profits, camps, and other agencies that provide meals and snacks for children in low-income areas during the summer.
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) A United States Department of Agriculture program that provides supplemental food, nutrition education, and access to health services for pregnant or postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who meet income guidelines.
Leg 4 - Emergency Food Assistance
Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) A United States Department of Agriculture program which allocates commodity food to supplement the diets of older adults, low-income women and children up to age six.
Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP) Provides funding for two senior nutrition programs: congregate meals and home-delivered meals.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) A United States Department of Agriculture program that supplements the diets of low-income Americans by providing them with federal commodities at no cost. Wisconsin provides the food at coordinating agencies which in turn distribute the food at pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters that directly serve the public.
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.