OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Another area food pantry says it’s seeing unprecedented strain in its food assistance program.
The Salvation Army of Oshkosh says it has seen a 36% spike in demand for its food pantry and hot meal programs since just March.
The nonprofit says steep reductions in the SNAP FoodShare program and the Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance (WERA) program have contributed to flooding the agency with new aid requests.
“The rate of change in demand for food assistance is alarming,” says Major James Mungai. “We have spent our entire annual food budget already and the demand just keeps growing.”
The organization says many families have had to choose between paying rent or buying groceries.
“We gave out an additional 19,000 pounds of food this quarter over last,” says Mungai. “The Salvation Army is impacted by escalating food prices just like everyone else. At this stage we must buy more food to finish out the year, which puts us under a lot of financial pressure.”
The Salvation Army of Oshkosh has an upcoming fundraiser on Saturday, August 12 to raise funds to support food purchases. The Pedal Out Hunger Ride/Walk offers a two mile walk along the Oshkosh riverfront or multiple biking routes for people who prefer to ride bikes. Lunch will be served immediately afterward. Visit PedalOutHunger.org to register or visit SAOshkosh.org to make a financial donation.
