Hunger Task Force and Eastbrook Church Food Pantry Have Been Combatting Local Hunger Since 2006

For more than 19 years, Hunger Task Force and Eastbrook Church Food Pantry have partnered to combat local hunger in Milwaukee – serving nearly 1,000 people every month. What’s more, last month the pantry served 334 households of which 69 were new.

“We’re grateful for our partnership with Hunger Task Force, which provides nearly 60% of the food we distribute to clients in need during the winter months,” says Brian Dressner, coordinator of Eastbrook Church Food Pantry. “What’s very beneficial for our clients is the variety and quantity of frozen protein Hunger Task Force provides and the number of grains such as rice and oats. Our clients frequently tell us the cost of meat at the grocery store is steep. Because of the monthly supply from Hunger Task Force, we can be generous with the amount we give each household.”

Clients at Eastbrook Church Food Pantry are appreciative of the choice model offered, which gives them the autonomy to select the healthy and nutritious items that best fit the dietary and cultural preferences of their household. Operating as a choice model, the food pantry is set up with aisles to resemble a grocery store and clients go down the aisles and shop for their staples.

The food panty recently underwent a renovation of its space on Green Bay Avenue, which has served the community since the mid-2000s. The food pantry is housed in what was once a large garage but now features a waiting area with tables, chairs, IT equipment and couches in addition to the aisles of food. Hunger Task Force helped the food pantry secure a $20,000 grant to purchase some of the equipment. To make the newly renovated space warm and welcoming for clients, the size of the pantry was extended by 50%, the floor was redone and a bathroom was installed. Clients receive free coffee and treats to enjoy onsite to encourage socialization before they shop the pantry.

Eastbrook Church Food Pantry is easily accessible by public transportation, as multiple bus lines stop out front. The pantry serves a diverse clientele, ranging from families to seniors, with multiple languages being spoken in the waiting room. The pantry is open on Saturdays from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. and Mondays from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. to give clients an opportunity to get the food they need outside of normal work hours.

Hunger Task Force is the only food bank in Milwaukee that does not charge for food, delivery or network membership and works diligently to ensure seniors and families can receive emergency food with dignity, on the day they need it and in the neighborhood they live in.

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.