OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — More than one in three families live at or just above the federal poverty level in Winnebago County.
After seeing a large increase in families needing help this year, the Oshkosh Area Community Pantry has made the elimination of food insecurity its mission.
Located on Jackson Street, inside Saint Vincent de Paul, the OACP has seen a 103% increase in new registrations and a 45% increase in guest visits this year.
“I’ve been coming here for like two months,” said Chris Welter, an Oshkosh resident.
In the first half of 2023, OACP welcomed 739 new families. Welter and his family are one of them.
“It’s been hard but I’m living through the days each day trying to help my family out,” said Welter.
Welter works as a solar panel installer. After bills and other necessities, he and his family don’t have enough to buy food.
“Struggling is me working and then I get called off of work because of weather and then it’s a hard money situation and I have to come here and get food,” said Welter. “Sometimes you don’t get the food stamps because you make too much.”
Welter may not get help from the state, but those who do, their extra benefits were cut in February.
“We have now gone back to pre-COVID levels, meaning guests that were traditionally getting anywhere from $200 to $250 a month, that number went down to $23,” said Ryan Rasmussen, OACP Executive Director.
Rasmussen says those benefits ending are one of the main reasons why demand at the pantry has skyrocketed.
“Plus with the rising cost of everything going up,” said Rasmussen. “Gas, groceries, anything you do anymore, the cost of everything has gone up.”
A food pantry in Marinette, also seeing record numbers of people needing help, is citing the same reason.
“A lot of the families that were really in the middle-class area are really now the ones that are seeing the biggest effect because they’re having to choose where their dollars are being spent,” said Rasmussen.
With the need for help going up as well, Rasmussen says the pantry is also needing extra volunteers.
“Right now we operate with anywhere from about 60 to 80 volunteers that come in on a weekly basis and we’re finding that we definitely need more to be able to come in to help keep our grocery store full,” said Rasmussen.
Without the generosity of OACP’s donors or volunteers, Welter says he doesn’t know what he or his family would do.
“They’re very polite and they help us out and help everyone else out in the community, helps everyone out,” said Welter.
OACP is open for guest shopping Mondays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
If you or someone you know is facing food insecurity and would like more information about the Oshkosh Area Community Pantry, click here.
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