Food Sourcing: How We Purchase, Recover, and Distribute Food with Purpose
Combating Hunger—A Behind the Scenes Look at Food Sourcing
The mission of The FOOD Pantry Serving Waukesha County is to provide food, hope, and dignity to our Waukesha County friends and neighbors facing food insecurity. In order to provide nutritious food, The FOOD Pantry relies on multiple sources to keep our shelves stocked. Through a combination of food drives, the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), food recovery efforts, and strategic purchasing, we ensure that families in our community have access to the food they need to thrive. Here's a closer look at the ways we gather food for those who rely on us.
- Food Drives: The Waukesha County Community Supporting Pantries
Food drives are one impactful way The FOOD Pantry receives food because it is a result of the generosity and commitment of our local community. Schools, businesses, churches, and community groups organize food drives throughout the year. Some of these food drives are item specific like peanut butter/jelly drives or cereal drives while other food drives just focus on providing high demand items to the Pantry. These food drives help stock our shelves and provide families with a variety of nutritious food options. In 2024, The FOOD Pantry received 189,300 pounds of food valued at $472,500 through community donations and food drives.
If you are interested in hosting a food drive, please click here and we are happy to help you make your drive a success.
On Saturday, May 10, many communities in Waukesha County will participate in Stamp Out Hunger, which is the largest, single day food drive in the country. If you receive a Stamp Out Hunger bag from your mail carrier, that means that your community is participating. Please consider filling the bag with non-expired, non-perishable food items and leaving it by your mailbox prior to mail delivery on Saturday, May 10. Your postal carrier will pick up your bag of food when they drop off your mail. This is an easy way to support your local pantry. Items in high demand include: peanut butter, canned vegetables and fruits, canned protein (tuna, salmon, and chicken), canned beans, whole grains (pasta and rice), cereal, and baby items (diapers, wipes, formula).
In 2024, The FOOD Pantry received 28,100 pounds of food through Stamp Out Hunger.
- The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP): A Federal Partnership
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is a vital resource of food for many pantries across the country. This program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provides food directly to pantries like ours at no cost. This program allows us to receive a wide variety of nutritious USDA-approved foods, such as fresh produce, dairy, protein items, and frozen foods. In 2024, The FOOD Pantry received 533,600 pounds of food valued at $1,352,400 through TEFAP.
Beginning in 2023, The FOOD Pantry became the TEFAP hub for Waukesha County. That means that all of the TEFAP food for Waukesha County is delivered to The FOOD Pantry where it is broken down into smaller quantities for other pantries, shelters, and non-profit organizations in the County. By acting as the hub, The FOOD Pantry is helping to reduce delivery costs for TEFAP food, ensuring that Waukesha County has access to this food.
- Food Recovery: Reducing Waste and Feeding the Hungry
Food recovery is a growing initiative in our efforts to reduce food waste and provide healthy meals to those in need. The FOOD Pantry partners with local grocery stores, food manufacturers, and food distributors to collect surplus food that might otherwise be thrown away. This includes fresh produce, meat, bakery items, dairy, and even frozen goods that are still safe to consume.
By recovering food that is perfectly good but may no longer meet a retailer’s needs, we are able to offer a wide variety of products to our clients at no cost. This sustainable practice benefits not only those in need but also helps reduce the environmental impact of food waste by keeping food out of landfills. In 2024, The FOOD Pantry received 684,600 pounds of food valued at $2,254,100 through food recovery.
- Purchasing Food: Filling in the Gaps
While donations, TEFAP food, and food recovery efforts are central to our food sourcing, we also strategically purchase food to ensure that our pantry is fully stocked with nutritious and balanced options. Purchasing allows us to fill any gaps in the items we receive, or to purchase items that cannot easily be donated. Purchasing is particularly important when specific food types are in high demand.
In 2024, The FOOD Pantry spent $378,700 on food. Approximately $183,700 of the purchases were perishable items such as milk, meat, and eggs. However, the pantry also purchased $169,500 in non-perishable items such as pasta, peanut butter, canned protein, or canned fruits/vegetables.
We are grateful for organizations that support us so that we can purchase food. In 2024, we received money or food gift cards to assist with the purchase of food from:
- Meijer and the Meijer Simply Give program provided $42,900
- Kohls Cares grant provided $25,000
- Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin provided $9,500
- Woodman’s provided $3,900
- Good Harvest provided $2,850
A Collective Effort to End Hunger
Each method of food sourcing—whether through food drives, TEFAP, food recovery, or purchasing—plays an essential role in helping us fight hunger and food insecurity. By working together with our community, federal partners, and local organizations, we are able to provide vital support to individuals and families who need it most.
As we continue to serve our neighbors, we are deeply grateful for the collective effort that makes our work possible. Together, we can ensure that everyone in our community has access to healthy, nourishing food. Thank you for your ongoing support!
Tags in this Post: News , Community , Programs , Nutrition , Food Drive
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