Dane County Food Pantries Launch Collaborative Bulk Purchasing Effort with 20-Ton Beef Delivery
Six major pantries partner with Second Harvest and local foundation to meet rising food insecurity through innovative cost-saving strategy
MADISON, Wis. — April 14, 2026 — Six of the largest food pantries in Dane County—The River Food Pantry, Badger Prairie Needs Network, Goodman Community Center, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Sunshine Place and WayForward Resources—will gather at Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin for an exciting delivery on Wednesday, April 15 at 8 am. Media are invited to arrive at 7:45 am.
This marks the launch of a new bulk order process, representing a new and creative approach to working together to meet growing community needs. This initial shipment of 20 tons of beef, ordered through Second Harvest, will be distributed across the six pantries and made available to neighbors experiencing food insecurity throughout Dane County.
“This collaboration represents what’s possible when organizations come together with a shared purpose,” said Rhonda Adams, Executive Director of The River. “By pooling our resources and thinking differently, we can stretch every dollar further and ensure more families have access to the nutritious food they need.”
Local food pantries are facing sustained, unprecedented demand. Many are now serving two to four times as many households as just a few years ago. This increase is driven by several factors, including population growth, rising food costs, and, most significantly, the sharp increase in housing expenses. As more families struggle to keep up with basic needs, food pantries are playing an increasingly critical role in filling the gap. Recent and anticipated reductions in federal support, including SNAP and Medicaid, are expected to place even greater pressure on both families and the emergency food system.
At the same time, traditional free food supply sources have not kept pace with this surge in demand. As a result, pantries are relying more heavily on purchased food to keep shelves stocked. This challenge brought these pantries together to explore whether buying in bulk could reduce costs and increase the total amount of food available to the community.
As the group of pantries developed this approach, the Dan & Patti Rashke (TASC) Family Foundation stepped forward with a generous investment to support this pilot effort. Wednesday’s delivery is made possible through their commitment to innovative solutions to significant community issues.
“The Dan & Patti Rashke (TASC) Family Foundation is excited to support the collective as they take a coordinated approach to meeting community needs,” said Abby Schulz, Community Investment Administrator at the Dan & Patti Rashke (TASC) Family Foundation. “We believe in giving nonprofits the space to try new approaches and build on what works, and hope efforts like this encourage others to lean in and support creative solutions across our community.”
Over the coming months, the group of six food pantries, in partnership with Second Harvest, will continue to pilot and refine this collaboration. The partners look forward to identifying meaningful ways for the community to support and strengthen this work in the future. In the meantime, they encourage continued support for the individual needs of participating pantries, including expanded space and financial resources to meet increased demand.
Desean moved to Madison with her two young boys over ten years ago. With courage and strength, she established a new life for her family. Unwavering support from St. Vincent de Paul — Madison employees and volunteers helped her along the way.
Desean’s journey began with a stay in a local shelter, before transitioning to SVdP Madison’s St. Elizabeth Ann Seton House. With a safe place to live, Desean received support to begin healing from her past, connect with health services for her family, and help her boys get on the road to school success.
“St. Vinny’s was amazing to us because when we got here, we never had a place where we could go and get all the resources and all the things that we needed,” Desean said.
The family shopped at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry and redeemed clothing vouchers to cope with Wisconsin’s weather extremes. She fondly remembers their first Christmas in Seton House.
“I’ll never forget it: they gave us candy canes and hot chocolate, and they gave the kids toys,” Desean remembers. “That meant so much to me because, at the time, we didn’t have anything. But for them to give help to my kids by giving them a toy and making the dream of Santa live on meant so much to me as a parent.”
———————————————————————————
Give Food to Neighbors In Need
———————————————————————————
Staff at Seton House helped Desean navigate to her own apartment. But the family had absolutely nothing.
“One of the young ladies (a conference home visitor) actually came to my house and looked around to help,” Desean said. “Then, they gave us a broom and a mop. It was just like a group of people helping, and it was amazing. They don’t treat you like you’re a poverty-stricken person. They don’t come in boastful. They’re warm and welcoming, and they do their best to make you feel like you’re part of the community, which is very important.”
Desean turned her apartment into a home with help from the conference home visitors and furniture vouchers to shop at Dig & Save Outlet Store.
“It was a miracle for us when they said we could get a table, chairs, and silverware from Dig and Save,” Desean recalls. “It was everything to us. They had someone who could help us get it to the house. All those things that you think are non-important are very important. What good are things if you can’t get them to your house? What good is having an apartment if you don’t have a table, a chair, or a fork? They stepped up and said, “Hey, we understand.”
After her boys grew older, Desean’s heart led her to become a foster parent. Today, she is parenting six foster children under the age of 7. She continues to visit the food pantry from time to time to get diapers, wipes, and fresh produce.
“I found we could afford a 15-passenger van, so we’re all in the car,” Desean said while laughing. “We will go together, and they’ll slide the food into the car for us. They know us when we pull up, and then when we get home, I bring out the bags and let the kids help me bring it in.“
The service and compassion of SVdP Madison supporters, members, volunteers, and staff, paired with Deasean’s resilience, have made an important and lasting difference in her life and her children’s lives.
“Without St. Vinny’s, I don’t know that I could do what I do,” Desean said. “It takes a village to raise children, and St. Vinny’s has been a part of that village for me.”
*Representational photo
Above: Matthew Indra, Social Services Intern
Families who’ve just found permanent housing after being homeless face several obstacles. One way you’re helping these families stabilize is through the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Program. Program director Katy Polich and Social Work Intern Matthew Indra are your hands and feet, providing support to these fragile families. A first-year Master of Social Work student at UW-Madison, Matthew has over a decade of nursing experience and aims to become a therapist. He’s interning with SVdP Madison to gain experience as a community social worker.
1. Why did you pursue nursing and social work?
I really like working with and taking care of people, and I was always interested in science. I found nursing, and worked in the emergency room while I was finishing up my degree. Then I developed a really great skill and love for working one-on-one with patients. Realizing that many people are struggling mentally and physically. I started learning more about psychotherapy, mental health, psychology, and philosophy, and the more I got into it, the more I realized I wanted to switch into psychotherapy. But I chose social work to pursue a therapy degree because I really love the social work values of human dignity, service, and self-determination. The field has a great holistic view of an individual. We look at systemic factors in people’s lives that contribute to the issues they face.
————————————————————————————————————
Help Prevent Family Homelessness
————————————————————————————————————
2. What have you enjoyed most as an intern?
Over the last few months, I’ve learned how we serve clients in the Seton Program, and that’s been my area of focus. It’s a really great internship because it’s extremely flexible, and Katy allows that, which I greatly appreciate. We do many home visits for single adults with kids within the program. It’s a really great experience to come into clients’ homes, get to know them, understand their goals, and identify the negative events that are impacting their well-being. We try to navigate those waters as best we can together as a team.
3. What are some obstacles people are facing?
Clients are struggling with different things, and a lot of them are newly housed, so I think the main goal is to make sure we do everything we can to support people’s housing. Making sure that everything they need is addressed. Transportation is always a huge issue because if a person has a job but can’t get to work because of transportation issues, that’s a huge barrier to their success, their goals, staying housed, and moving forward in their career.
4. What should people know about the social services SVdP Madison provides?
I think we have a huge impact on people’s lives. People need as much support as possible. Resources and support systems are breaking down. People need our services more than ever; whether it’s mental health services or transportation, or helping people afford their rent or food, whatever that looks like. And I think that we provide all of that and more because we’re also providing that human connection. We care, and it’s not hierarchical. It’s a very “We’re in this together,” kind of attitude. We don’t go into these homes acting like we know what’s best for our clients. Our clients know what’s best for them. And our goal is to meet them at their level and get them where they want to go.
I think St. Vinny’s is very special because of the people who work here. Everybody is willing to help, and I think the people we serve are seen as human beings first, deserving of care. It’s important to see those we serve as human beings, and not as somebody who needs to be fixed. They just need our service. I know people can feel it when they’re looked down upon. It’s very tangible. Most people here don’t have that perspective. We come from a place of respecting our clients and their dignity.
Julie’s Journal — Lent 2026
Dear friends,
Lent invites us into a season of honest reflection and courageous love. We are asked to slow down, to look inward, and to open our hearts outward. In his recent reflection, Dilexi Te (“I have loved you”), Pope Leo reminds us that authentic love is never abstract. It takes shape in compassion, in solidarity, and in a willingness to draw near to those who are struggling. That’s what you have done through your generosity.
I am honored by the trust you place in our employees and volunteers. I know you believe in caring for vulnerable families and reducing their suffering. We are your hands caring for parents choosing between rent and groceries, seniors stretching a fixed income, and families one unexpected bill away from crisis. These encounters are not statistics. They are sacred moments of human connection. When you walk alongside someone in need, you build a community of dignity, hope, and shared responsibility.
Lent calls us to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Prayer invites us to cultivate empathy. Holding our neighbors in our hearts, we consider how we might be instruments of peace and healing. Fasting teaches us awareness. It helps us recognize both our own abundance and the daily sacrifices others make just to get by. And almsgiving moves love into action. Action to provide warm meals, stable housing, life-saving medicine, and more.
My Catholic faith informs my work, but these values are universal. Reflection, generosity, and solidarity transcend religious boundaries. They speak to our shared humanity. When you donate, please know that you are investing in stronger families and a more just future.
This Lent, I invite you to reflect on how you are being called to respond to the needs of our neighbors. Perhaps it is through a renewed commitment to giving. Perhaps it is through sharing our mission with a friend. Perhaps it is simply holding our neighbors in your thoughts and intentions. Whatever form it takes, you matter and your engagement matters.
With deep gratitude
Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director
Julie Bennett, CEO & Executive Director, in the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
In 1925, the needs of neighbors struggling to make ends meet galvanized a small group of Madison Catholic parishioners – and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison was born. One hundred years later, the compassion, dedication, and strength of our volunteers, donors, and employees continue to offer help and hope to neighbors facing hardship across Dane County. As we enter our 101st year, we invite you to get involved in our mission to alleviate suffering and support the most vulnerable in our community.
For a century, employees, shoppers, donors, members, and supporters like you have been a steady presence for local people experiencing poverty, hunger, illness, and isolation. Through every challenge, our mission has remained the same: to help our neighbors in need. As we look ahead to the next 100 years, we honor the caring individuals who have shaped our past and invite you to help build our future.
Here are 101 ways to get involved with SVdP Madison…
Build Awareness
1. Wear your SVdP Madison apparel to the store, to the gym, or while running errands.
2. Tell someone about SVdP Madison’s charitable programs.
3. View our 2025 Impact Report.
4. Examine this graph to see the food pantry use by month.
5. Talk to family, friends, and your network about why you love SVdP Madison.
6. Write a letter to the editor about what SVdP Madison means to you.
7. Leave a positive review of SVdP Madison or any St. Vinny’s Thrift Store on Google.
8. Share our latest news stories.
9. Write a short article about SVdP Madison in your church or neighborhood newsletter.
10. Invite SVdP Madison to speak during a Lunch’n Learn at your workplace.
11. Sign up for SVdP USA’s Voter Voice to advocate for our neighbors in need.
12. Refer someone you know to check out our job opportunities.
Donate
13. Make a one-time donation.
14. Become a Sustaining Samaritan monthly donor.
15. Give in honor of a loved one’s birthday or anniversary.
16. Leave a legacy gift in your will.
17. Ask your employer about matching gifts.
18. Give in memory or honor of a loved one.
19. Allocate part of your RMD (if 70½+) to SVdP Madison.
20. Start a workplace giving campaign.
21. Include SVdP Madison in your corporate giving program.
22. Learn about the many ways to give, like donor-advised funds, estate plan gifts, and more.
23. Create a digital fundraiser for SVdP Madison.
Volunteer
24. Set a goal for the number of hours you will volunteer, and make a plan to achieve it.
25. Volunteer at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.
26. Volunteer at the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy.
27. Volunteer at Lacy Garden.
28. Volunteer at Vinny’s Lockers.
29. Invite a co-worker, neighbor, family member, or friend to volunteer with you!
30. Take photos of your time volunteering.
31. Write thank-you notes to SVdP Madison volunteers.
32. Coordinate a volunteer group from your workplace, social group, or church.
Live Out Your Faith
33. Join a St. Vincent de Paul Conference.
34. Refer a high school student you know to join the Youth Service Council.
35. Pray for our neighbors in need.
36. Offer Mass intentions for the Society and the families we serve.
37. Start or join a prayer circle.
38. Say a Rosary for anyone struggling in Dane County.
39. Learn about St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the patron of our housing program.
40. Live out our Vincentian virtues.
41. Form a St. Vincent de Paul Conference at your parish.
Follow Us on Social Media
42. Follow @vinnysdanecounty on Facebook.
43. Follow @vinnysdanecounty on Instagram.
44. Follow @svdpmadison on LinkedIn.
45. Subscribe to @svdpmadison on YouTube.
46. Add your SVdP Madison volunteer experience to your LinkedIn profile.
47. Make a social media post about how SVdP Madison has impacted your life.
48. Post a throwback photo with your favorite St. Vinny’s find.
49. Post a video of your St. Vinny’s Thrift Store haul.
50. Take a photo at your favorite St. Vinny’s Thrift Store.
Shop at St. Vinny’s
51. Visit a St. Vinny’s Thrift Store you’ve never been to before.
52. Bring a friend or family member to thrift shopping.
53. Become a VIP shopper.
54. “Round Up” your purchase total to support our charitable programs.
55. Visit all seven St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores in Dane County.
56. Get a new mattress at St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores.
57. Bookmark our events page.
58. Check out the list of accepted donation items.
59. Shop for your Halloween costume at St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores.
60. View the impact of your Round Up support.
61. Buy a St. Vinny’s gift card for a loved one.
62. Visit Dig & Save Outlet Store for a unique thrift shopping experience.
63. Learn about our recycling efforts.
64. Host a holiday “Thriftmas” party with gifts only from St. Vinny’s.
Donate Goods
65. Donate gently used clothing, furniture, and home goods.
66. Schedule a free home pickup.
67. Host a donation drive in your neighborhood.
68. Clean out your closet and donate seasonal items.
69. Ask friends and family to donate to SVdP Madison instead of giving gifts.
70. Set a monthly donation goal, such as one bag of clothing per month.
71. Organize a donation drive at your workplace.
72. Donate your garage sale leftovers.
73. Use your move as a reason to declutter and donate.
74. Make a donation to a thrift store as part of your spring cleaning.
75. Encourage your faith community to organize a donation day.
76. Donate produce from your garden to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry.
77. Donate new and gently used bedding, blankets, and sheets during the Recycle the Warmth Blanket Drive in January.
78. Donate your vehicle.
79. Set up automatic donations to the pantry through our Amazon Wish List.
Learn More About Us
80. Read the stories of people who’ve been helped by SVdP Madison.
81. Read Julie’s Journal, letters from our CEO & Executive Director.
82. View our 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.
83. Learn about our founders and patrons.
84. Learn about the national and global impact of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
85. Watch and share the “Together We Are SVdP Madison” video.
86. Read and share our newsletters.
Enjoy the Centennial Treasures
87. Watch the historical roundtable video.
88. View the historical exhibit.
89. View the centennial historical catalog.
90. Watch Ralph Middlecamp’s oral history video.
91. Watch Julie Bennett’s oral history video.
92. Watch Patty Bruni’s oral history video.
93. Watch Alejandro Vergara’s oral history video.
94. Watch Ernie Stetenfeld’s oral history video.
95. Watch Brooke Trick and John Cobb’s oral history video.
96. Watch Chris Kane and Jenni Troia’s oral history video.
97. Watch Glen Reichelderfer’s oral history video.
98. Watch Steve Skolaski’s oral history video.
99. Watch Paul Ashe’s oral history video.
100. Watch Mike Meehan’s oral history video.
101. Watch Gayle Westfahl’s oral history video.
Dear friend,
In the quiet of the dental office waiting room, Jeremy held his daughter Sarah close. Her small hand gripped his as tears rolled down her cheeks from the pain in her tooth. Jeremy tried to stay calm, but inside he was terrified.
He wasn’t just worried about her tooth. He was worried about what it would cost.
Friend, your gift of $140 will provide two weeks of food for families just like Jeremy’s. Because of a match by generous donors, your gift today becomes $280 to feed a family for a whole month!
If Sarah needed a procedure, Jeremy would have to miss work to care for her. Missing even a few days’ pay could mean the difference between keeping a roof over their heads or falling behind on rent.
That’s the impossible math too many families are forced to do: Do we buy groceries, pay rent, or keep the heat on?
Will you provide two weeks worth of food for a Dane County family with a gift of $140?
————————————————————————————————————————
Donate to Feed Hungry Families
All gifts made by December 31st will be doubled. $1 becomes $2 for hungry families.
————————————————————————————————————————
This year, more parents like Jeremy have come to us for food. Will you make sure no one is turned away? Whether they walk through our doors, order online, or receive a delivery to their doorstep, your generosity will make sure they’re met with food, kindness, and respect.
Families who are doing everything right, yet still find themselves one unexpected setback away from hunger or homelessness.
Right now, your gift can be the lifeline that keeps a family stable. You can be the reason someone finds hope instead of despair, dignity instead of shame, food instead of an empty fridge.
Every month this year, gifts from supporters like you have helped local families. Families with hardworking parents like Jeremy who are trying to make ends meet.
For Jeremy and his wife Danielle, both with full-time jobs, life is a delicate balance. Danielle’s a patient receptionist at a medical clinic; he’s a welder. They budget carefully, stretch every dollar, and still, it’s never quite enough.
Then came Sarah’s toothache. A few missed shifts. A dental bill they couldn’t afford. And suddenly, the money that should have gone to groceries had to go to rent.
That’s when you step in, friend!
When asked what weighs most on his heart, Jeremy’s voice cracked: “Hunger and stress. I just don’t want my kids to feel either.”
Your gift today can ease both.
It currently costs our pantry about $140 to fill a standard food package which contains two weeks of meals for a family. Your kindness will fill plates and bellies, but it will also fill hearts with relief and gratitude. You make it possible for parents like Jeremy to hold their heads high and care for their children with dignity.
Because of you, Jeremy will keep his home warm, pay the rent, and tuck Sarah and her brother Michael into bed without worrying about what they’ll eat tomorrow.
And when the holidays arrive, your gift will reach even further. It will bring the joy of a festive meal: turkey or ham, mashed potatoes, veggies, and mac and cheese. The comfort of a table full of food, and the peace of knowing they’re not alone.
With you, families can eat.
Without you, they go hungry.
And this month, your compassion goes twice as far. When you give by December 31st, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar by generous friends of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison.
- Your $140 gift becomes $280
- Your $280 gift becomes $560
- Your $560 gift becomes $1,120
————————————————————————————————————————
Donate to Feed Hungry Families
All gifts made by December 31st will be doubled. $1 becomes $2 for hungry families.
————————————————————————————————————————
Every dollar you give will supply food for hungry families.
Jeremy dreams of the day he can take his kids grocery shopping and let them pick whatever they want. Until that day, he’s deeply grateful for you helping him make sure his children are fed, cared for, and never forgotten.
In his Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te (I Have Loved You), Pope Leo XIV calls us to resist indifference to the poor. We must care for the poor and join in solidarity with them through direct action.
Your compassion is the antidote to indifference. Through your mercy, you are healing hearts, feeding families, and keeping hope alive.
You can make this possible. Your gift will help struggling neighbors feed their families this winter.
This is an amazing opportunity for your gift to go TWICE as far.
Please donate what you can today. Let’s make sure no one goes hungry this winter.
You are the reason hope continues to live in Dane County.
With deep gratitude,
Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director
PS. Rush your gift by December 31st to have it doubled. Your kindness will feed twice as many families like Jeremy’s, and bring comfort and hope to your neighbors this holiday season.
Meet Codou and Leana…
They’re two students the Madison Youth Service Council (YSC) recently chose as recipients of their annual scholarship. Both students demonstrated hard work inside and outside the classroom and are now moving forward in their education thanks to you!
Codou began the first African Club with her friends at Madison’s La Follette High School. While the school had an Asian Club and other events for African students, there weren’t any formal student organizations. So Codou (above; farthest left) took initiative to begin the club by inviting friends and peers to attend meetings where they shared culture, music and food. It was this kind of initiative that inspired the YSC to choose her as a recipient of their annual scholarship. Every academic year, the YSC provides scholarships to local students who otherwise may not be able to afford post-secondary education. In addition, the family of each recipient receives material support, often in the form of rent credit or grocery store gift cards. When speaking about her upcoming freshman year at UW-Milwaukee over the summer, Codou explained how the scholarship would help her pay for tuition, transportation, and housing.
The middle child of six kids, Codou’s always worked hard to provide for herself and her family. Her father passed away years ago, and she’s only lived in Wisconsin since she was in eighth grade. She and her family are from Senegal, and the scholarship meant a great deal to her as she begins her studies in college. She’s interested in science and technology since she likes to research, and was excited to meet new people and live on campus.
Leana is another one of this year’s scholarship recipients. She said the scholarship would be a big help for her as she’ll use it to help pay for books and meals, and noted it was a unique honor to be chosen by her peers. Leana dreams of working in the medical field to help Black moms during and after pregnancy. Inspired by a social media post she saw about the racial disparities in maternal and infant health, she wants to be part of the solution in changing these troubling statistics. As a high school student, she received dual credit through Madison College’s Early College STEM Academy and attended nursing courses on track to become a CNA. She’s attending college on the East Coast with plans to study health and science.
Julie’s Journal — Thanksgiving 2025
Dear friends,
“I don’t understand generational wealth. I only know generational poverty.”
Sandy* called me a few days before she said those words. She wanted to talk with me about making a significant gift, so we scheduled a time to get together.
Sandy has been a member of the Society for many years. She and another member regularly go on home visits to neighbors in need. They listen to the neighbors’ stories, offer comfort, and give aid when they can. The aid is rarely enough to meet the neighbors’ needs, but it is always important. Sandy believes and lives the words of Blessed Rosalie Rendu, “Love is your first gift to the poor,” because she knows what poverty looks and feels like firsthand.
Love is your first gift to the poor, too. Every time you reach into your heart, then into your bank account, you share love with your neighbor in need. Thank you for sharing love to our neighbors in need through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison. Thank you for donating, not out of the excess in your wallet, but out of your compassion.
Every family wants to make the holidays special, but this can be particularly hard for people who are poor. When you donate this upcoming holiday season, local families will have food for their Thanksgiving dinner, and uninsured patients will get the medicine they need. If you can make a significant gift, like Sandy, you might have to stretch your dollars a bit. You may sacrifice something you want so our neighbors have what they need. With her understanding of generational poverty, Sandy knows her sacrifice was worth it. I pray you will know your sacrifice is worth it, too. Please donate now, as you are able, to provide food, medicine, clothing, and housing support to our neighbors in need.
With deep gratitude
Julie Bennett
CEO & Executive Director
Julie Bennett, CEO & Executive Director, in the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry
Who Was Blessed Rosalie Rendu?
Born in 1786, Blessed Rosalie Rendu devoted her life to serving the poor as a Daughter of Charity (the religious order founded by St. Vincent de Paul). Moved by the suffering she witnessed during and after the French Revolution, she opened a free clinic, pharmacy, school, orphanage, childcare center, and home for the elderly. Her compassionate service and leadership inspired Blessed Frédéric Ozanam and his companions to follow her example, which led directly to the founding of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in 1833. Several of the clothing sections in our St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores’ are named “Rendu” after her!
Delayed SNAP Benefits Cause Significant Increases in Demand at Area Food Pantries
Families across Dane County are feeling the effects of SNAP benefit delays in Dane County, as federal funding interruptions leave many without the food assistance they depend on. Local food pantries like ours are stepping in to fill the gap, but with record demand and limited resources, the strain is growing. Here’s how we’re responding with our fellow pantries, and how you can help ensure no one goes hungry.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2025
MADISON — Six of Dane County’s largest food pantries are already seeing the impacts of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) delays. SNAP, known as FoodShare in Wisconsin, provided benefits to nearly 65,000 people in Dane County in 2024. As America’s most extensive anti-hunger program, it gives out monthly government benefits to low-income households to help them purchase food. Even before SNAP benefits lapsed over the past weekend due to the federal government shutdown, many area food pantries began seeing increases as people turned to them to fill anticipated gaps. This comes on top of significant demand increases that Dane County food pantries have already experienced over the last several years.
“The disruption to the SNAP program is already creating additional pressure as we enter our busiest time of year,” reports Rhonda Adams, Executive Director of The River Food Pantry. “The River provided nearly 500 grocery orders and over 900 take-home meals in a single day last week, even before benefits were delayed. That is our busiest day ever outside of a holiday week. We are bracing for a surge in need, both among current clients and families who have not been visiting a pantry. I spoke to people waiting for their groceries last week, and most worried about how they will replace the meals that FoodShare covered, even with the support available from local pantries.”
Other food pantries are also seeing significant increases in visitors. “Last Tuesday, we saw our highest number of customers ever in our food pantry,” said Goodman Community Center’s Director of Food Resources, Francesca Frisque. “This included a large number of new shoppers who had never visited our pantry before. The rest of the week continued to be high, and we anticipate more this week.”
Food pantries are bracing for hard weeks ahead. Yesterday, in response to a federal judge’s order to release a contingency fund, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that this contingency fund would only cover $4.6 billion of November’s SNAP benefits, roughly half of what is typically distributed each month. No timeline was provided for when people would receive these benefits.
Despite these challenges, Dane County food pantries want to emphasize to community members impacted by the delay and partial payment of FoodShare benefits that they are prepared to do everything possible to ensure continued access to basic food. They are seeing firsthand the strain that the delay in benefits, along with the disruption and confusion from constantly changing information, is putting on families.
“People are worried. We’re hearing concern from both those who need help and those eager to offer it,” said Ann Maastricht, Executive Director of Sunshine Place. “Sunshine Place and our partner pantries across Dane County have food and support available, and together with community support, we are making sure everyone who needs help can get it.”
For now, food pantries are filling a critical gap. Although they can do this for a short time, food pantries can’t be the permanent solution. “Food pantries and SNAP are intended to work together to combat food insecurity,” said Chris Kane, Senior Director of Client Services at St. Vincent de Paul — Madison. “Food pantries cannot replace SNAP. According to Feeding America, for every one meal provided by food pantries, the SNAP program provides nine meals. That is too large a gap for the charitable sector to replace.”
Community members can give now to their local food pantry to make sure pantries continue to have food to meet the surge in demand. Even after the SNAP crisis ends, community support will still be critical as we head into the holiday season. “Crisis or not, hunger doesn’t take a break,” said Marcia Kasieta, Business and Development Director at Badger Prairie Needs Network. “Even when SNAP funding begins to return, record-setting need will continue. And with more federal cuts on the horizon, even more vulnerable families will be affected. Dane County has one of the most organized and collaborative food pantry networks in the country — but we rely on the strength and generosity of our wider community to help lift our neighbors through tough times.”
Cash donations enable pantries to target their buying to the most-needed items and to purchase in bulk at lower prices than retail. Most pantries also accept donations of nonperishable food. Check your local food pantry’s website for more details about giving or to see information about volunteer needs they may have.
“WayForward Resources and other local pantries have already seen an incredible response from the community,” said Ellen Carlson, Executive Director of WayForward Resources. “Thank you. We appreciate the monetary and food donations, as well as the offers to volunteer and the concern and support that have all come our way. It is essential. Please continue to partner with us during the delay and reduction in SNAP benefits–and into the future so that we can build a strong community together.”
Contacts
- Anne Shlimovitz, WayForward Resources, anne@wayfordwardresoures.org, (608) 826-3408
- Lisa Marshall, Badger Prairie Needs Network, communications@bpnn.org, (608) 347-2112
- Florence Edwards-Miller, Goodman Community Center, (608) 204-3127
- Becca Bolton, The River Food Pantry, becca@riverfoodpantry.org, (608) 665-0819
- Katherine Addison, St. Vincent de Paul — Madison, kaddison@svdpmadison.org, (608) 442-7200 x37
- Susan Schmidt, Sunshine Place, susan@sunshineplace.org, (608) 478-5556
Photos and logos, approved for press use
About the Food Pantries
About Badger Prairie Needs Network
Founded in 1986, Badger Prairie Needs Network (BPNN) is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to end hunger and reduce poverty in Dane County. In addition to operating one of the region’s most collaborative food pantries and food recovery programs, BPNN offers a range of wrap-around community services, including pro bono legal assistance, onsite social workers through Joining Forces for Families, a commercial kitchen, community meals, and job-training programs in partnership with the Latino Academy of Workforce Development. Demand for food assistance continues to reach historic levels. In 2025, BPNN is on pace to support more than 95,000 neighbors — nearly triple pre-pandemic levels. Learn more at bpnn.org.
About the Fritz Food Pantry at Goodman Community Center
Located on Madison’s east side, the Goodman Community Center strengthens lives and secures futures, through programs focusing on food security, older adults, children ages 3–19, and building community. The Fritz Food Pantry at the Goodman Community Center provides groceries for more than 350 households every week. We believe everyone should have access to a variety of healthy, fresh foods, regardless of their income level, and we’re proud to provide this valuable service to anyone in our community who needs it. The pantry is open three days a week and all are welcome. No pre-registration is required.
About The River Food Pantry
The River is South Central Wisconsin’s busiest food pantry. Services include free groceries for pickup or delivery, to-go meals, online grocery orders, mobile meals, and after-hours food lockers. The River also recovers food and resources—that would otherwise go to waste—from local retailers. Since 2006, The River has grown to serve over 3,500 people every week in pursuit of its vision: a fully nourished community. Learn more at www.riverfoodpantry.org.
About St. Vincent de Paul — Madison
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul — Madison is a membership organization dedicated to helping our neighbors in need. They offer services such as food, prescription medicine, clothing, furniture, household goods, storage lockers and guidance to neighbors in need. Seven St. Vinny’s Thrift Stores across Dane County help fund these services and provide direct charity through a furniture, household goods and clothing voucher program. St. Vincent de Paul — Madison is currently accepting new volunteers during their “Volunteers Are Magic” drive with Magic98. Please visit /event/magic98-volunteer-drive/ to learn more.
About Sunshine Place
Located in Sun Prairie, Sunshine Place is a community resource serving Dane County and surrounding areas. The nonprofit provides a one-stop shop for support, offering its own programs focused on food, housing, and basic needs, alongside co-located partner agencies that provide additional wraparound services. The largest of Sunshine Place’s programs is the Sun Prairie Food Pantry, a full-choice pantry open six days per week and serving households across Dane County and beyond. The pantry also provides community-based food distribution to children in Sun Prairie and nearby communities through neighborhood and school partnerships. Learn more at https://sunshineplace.org.
About WayForward Resources
WayForward Resources focuses on creating food security and housing stability. Located in Middleton, their food pantry and clothing center are open five days a week to anyone in Dane County. WayForward’s housing stability programs provide case management, referrals, and financial assistance to community members living in the Middleton-Cross Plains School District and part of the west side of Madison. Learn more at wayforwardresources.org.
###
High school students Danielle and Chris interned at the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy over the summer through a partnership with local nonprofit Maydm. They’re just two of the many student volunteers who come through the pharmacy doors each year, gaining real-world experience serving neighbors in need and valuable connections to further their studies.
Thank you for your pharmacy support! Not only do you provide free medications to uninsured patients, but you also give students like Danielle and Chris the chance to learn about valuable careers, building tomorrow’s pharmacy leaders today.
1. How did you connect with the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy?
Danielle: Maydm works by placing young people in STEM fields around the Madison area. We applied to the program, and they took our interests — and we both said we’re interested in pursuing healthcare in the future — and we did the program last year at UW Health. And now, this year, we’re still interested in healthcare, and they placed us here at the pharmacy.
2. Did anyone in your life inspire you to pursue a career in healthcare?
Chris: I think it started with my chemistry teacher. I really enjoyed her chemistry class and all the experiments that we did. And so I always had an interest in chemistry. It switched into pharmacy for me after I went to an open house at the UW-Madison pharmacy school. They talked about the school, I learned more about the kind of classes you have to take for it and what the career is like, what the education is like, and I became really interested in that. I thought it’d be a great way to switch my interest in chemistry into something more useful.
Danielle: Well, for me, my parents are nurses, so growing up, health has always been a part of my life. But for me specifically, I didn’t want to do healthcare at first. My parents are healthcare professionals, so I thought, “Let me take a different route.” But I’m an athlete, so I grew up seeing a lot of injuries and things like that, and I was really interested in human anatomy. So, I thought, “What if I go to school and study biology?” After my ninth-grade biology class, I really enjoyed the human anatomy unit and thought, “This is really cool, and I really want to do something with this in the future.” But, you know, a biology degree can only get you so far. So I thought about healthcare. And then I started, Maydm. Especially last year, learning about how many people go without [medicine], it just really solidified in me. Healthcare is a right, right? Not a privilege. There are so many people being denied that right. So, I decided I just wanted to be another stepping stone so people can access healthcare. Now I’m pursuing nursing.
3. What has been your favorite part of working in the pharmacy?
Chris: Well, I would like to say filling prescriptions, because I have a lot of fun doing that. But I think the more important part is the community here; I feel like everyone’s welcoming and inviting. It’s very fun to be around here, no matter what I’m doing. If I were filling prescriptions, working at the welcome desk, or answering voicemails all day, I would be around everyone here and still have fun. I really like the community. Whenever I come down here, there always seems to be a lot of volunteers of different ages, experiences, and backgrounds, and I think that’s really cool. I feel like we have such a close relationship with the patients as well. They just recognize everyone who comes here.
Danielle: Like Chris, filling prescriptions is definitely fun, but I think coming here every day and helping people makes all the difference. I mean, no matter what I’m doing, I know my presence here is definitely helping in some way, and just being a part of this organization makes me feel good. You’re making someone’s day, knowing they will have their medications for however long they need a refill, free of charge, and they don’t have to worry. To be able to do something like this for people in need is just right. It’s a very tangible service.
4. What’s one thing you want everyone to know about the pharmacy?
Danielle: Wear comfy shoes! Becky, Yolanda, and Cheryl do a very good job at teaching people what they need to do and their responsibilities, and they’ll hear you when you’re confused and won’t shame you. We came in here with no idea what we would be doing. We just knew we would be at St. Vincent de Paul for the summer. I’m not a pharmacist. He’s [Chris] not a pharmacist. I’ve never worked in a pharmacy, and I didn’t know all that pharmacists do. All that goes into it is so much more than you think.
Chris: Yeah, I didn’t realize how much was involved in the pharmacy, and I still don’t! There’s more to it than just counting pills. But it’s very collaborative and, as Danielle mentioned, there’s no shame.
Interested in volunteering at the pharmacy? Learn more here!