Menickalay Smith Uses Her Social Work Degree to Change the Lives of Low-Income Residents in Milwaukee

At Hunger Task Force, we believe that every person has a right to healthy food obtained with dignity. Our talented FoodShare Outreach team works to prevent hunger and malnutrition by helping low-income residents in Milwaukee apply for FoodShare – or SNAP as it’s called nationally.

Menickalay Smith, FoodShare Advocate at Hunger Task Force, has spent the last year helping low-income residents in Milwaukee apply for and maintain their FoodShare benefits. To her, being a FoodShare Advocate is more than providing benefit management.

“To me, being an advocate includes amplifying the voices of marginalized members of our community and standing alongside them to push for change,” says Menickalay.

With a bachelor’s degree in social work, Menickalay has a knack for building relationships with clients. She uses her degree to provide client support with dignity, equity and justice and is grateful to enjoy a career in which she spends her day-to-day helping individuals obtain better access to healthy food.

Having grown up in Milwaukee, Menickalay’s role at Hunger Task Force has helped her see the community in a new light by enabling her to relate more to her neighbors and understand what they’re experiencing on a deeper level. However, what she didn’t imagine is the volume of people she’d support from a diverse array of backgrounds who have taught her the many ways you can define being a ‘Milwaukeean.’

Throughout her day, Menickalay can be found troubleshooting FoodShare issues for her clients, explaining the contents of letters FoodShare recipients receive about their benefits and visiting food pantries, meal sites and other Hunger Task Force partners to enroll those who cannot make it to a Hunger Task Force Resource Center in FoodShare and/or educate them about the benefits of FoodShare.

“The very first interaction a client has with you can determine if the individual turns to Hunger Task Force for help in the future,” adds Menickalay. “It’s so important in my role – and honestly every customer-service role – to treat clients with dignity. When you do, clients will want to continue to work with you and you will be able to assist in improving their situation.”

Menickalay Smith is a FoodShare Advocate at our Alicia’s Place FoodShare Resource Center in Milwaukee’s North Side.

Hunger Task Force is Milwaukee’s Free & Local food bank and Wisconsin’s anti-hunger leader. The organization’s core values are Dignity, Justice, Equity, Compassion and Stewardship. Hunger Task Force feeds people today by providing healthy and culturally appropriate food to hungry children, families and seniors in the community absolutely free of charge. Hunger Task Force also works to end future hunger by advocating for strong public policies and nutrition programs at the local, state and federal level.