Fighting food insecurity, one mobile food pantry at a time

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - With the buying power of Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, mobile food pantries like one in Beloit are able to provide weeks’ worth of food to people experiencing food insecurity.

“And what food insecurity means that you’re having to choose, do I pay my rent? Do I buy my medication, or do I buy food?” mobile pantry coordinator Ann Schroeder said.

Twice a month, hundreds of cars line up outside Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Beloit to get some groceries from one of the mobile food pantries.

“We have a large number of people in the Beloit area that are food insecure,” Schroeder said. “And that may be because of unemployment, and maybe because of elderly people.”

David Edwards, from South Beloit, is in one of the cars in line.

“I pick up for myself and for my granddaughter’s family, and I’m a senior citizen,” Edwards said. “I’m limited to income in, you know Social Security. And my granddaughters got five kids, and she’s got her own independent business, but it’s, you know, the income is somewhat limited. And so, it really helps is getting the food from the pantry.”

Schroeder has been helping out with this pantry for more than 10 years and she said putting this together is a huge team effort.

“The coordinator that’s here today, Laura, the truck driver Kenny. I mean, it’s, it’s a family,” Schroeder said.

You can be a part of the family and help those with food insecurity by donating to the NBC15 26th annual Share Your Holidays campaign in partnership with Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin.

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