NEENAH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – For the past 100 years, St. Vincent De Paul has served the Neenah Menasha area in more ways than one.
Now the store is helping with food insecurity.
As a frequent St. Vincent De Paul thrift shopper, Laurie Nagle is curious to hear how the newly added food pantry is coming along.
“I just love hearing every Thursday how many families are here the day before, because they aren’t coming here because they want to, they are coming here because they have to.”
“Our Vincentians were going to the house and people were saying ‘we need help, we need help, we need food,” St. Vincent De Paul Board President, Judy Zaretzke.
Zaretzke tells FOX 11 food banks are in high demand. This pantry has been open every Wednesday and Saturday for seven weeks.
Since then, the pantry has given away 22,000 pounds and $43,000 worth of free food.
“The highest week we have served is 184 people that have come through our pantry.”
Zaretzke says a group of Fox Valley organizations came to a conclusion months ago.
“Neenah Menasha is the most underserved in our community.”
Co-Director Andy Herson tells FOX 11 the store wants to make shopping easy.
“First time they can expect to fill out a real quick one page survey, we don’t ask for income statements or any of that stuff. It’s simply an ID to show your residency in Neenah Menasha and an ID for each person living in the house. You come in and free to shop, we have some items that are based on family size.”
Herson says the store wants every hungry person in the Neenah Menasha area to have accessible food.
Hersen says the food is donated from local churches, grocery stores and through a partnership with Feeding America and USDA — but anyone can donate.
To see find more information about St. Vincent De Paul’s Neenah – Menasha Food Pantry click here.
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