In a society marked by eating disorders and rising rates of obesity, it is easy to forget millions of citizens begin and end the day hungry. However, the fight against hunger rages in Madison today, with several organizations lending a hand.
Around 40 Madison-area churches are involved in providing nine meals a week through the Community Meal Program. Each church assumes the responsibility for serving about one meal a month at either St. Paul's Catholic Center or Luke House.
While traditional organizations like the Community Meal Program in Madison help feed the low-income population, meal programs are not the only approach to reducing hunger. Both the Second Harvest Foodbank and the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition make strides to assist, educate and support Madison's needy population.
The Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin began in 1986 and currently works with 347 nonprofit agencies to help 76,000 people per year.
According to Bob Mohelnitzky, the executive director of the Second Harvest Foodbank, it is estimated half of the food produced in the United States remains uneaten and later ends up in a landfill.
The food bank helps serve the hungry by acquiring surplus from the food industry and distributing this extra food to nonprofit agencies, which then deliver it to low-income households.
The organization also assists in providing nutrition information and publishing a cookbook with recipes for foods commonly found in pantries, said Mohelnitzky.
Generations have learned to ignore beggars on the streets because they are potentially dangerous, but in attempts to feel safe and secure, it is easy to overlook the fact that the people on the street often are not the only hungry ones.
To help combat the hunger of 30,000 area children, Second Harvest provides two additional programs: Kids Cafe and the Backpack Program.
The Kids Cafe provides money for needy children to receive a snack or a hot meal at organizations like the Boys and Girls Club or community centers.
Meanwhile, the Backpack Program addresses the problem of students who do not receive sufficient food at home by providing them with backpacks of food to take home over the weekend.
The Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition opts for a different approach to reach the hungry that involves connecting consumers with fresh foods from area farmers. The coalition's Partner Shares Program is an attempt to improve nutrition and reduce hunger by linking these farms with low-income households.
Laura Brown, the program coordinator, states the coalition's goal is to educate the community about the value of local fresh foods.
Patrons pay a flat fee at the beginning and then receive a weekly supply of fresh foods. Low-income families can receive subsidies for the $350-$600 cost in the Partner Shares Program. Participants qualify according to federal poverty guidelines and then pay 50 percent of the cost back at a monthly rate.
Acquiring fresh foods also requires a knowledge of how to prepare and store them.
'One challenge always for a lot of families, regardless of their income, is that eating fresh foods requires a lifestyle change,' Brown said. The coalition has published a cookbook with recipes for every vegetable to help families alter their everyday eating habits.
Through MACSAC, consumers obtain the health benefits from fresh foods, the farmers earn a secure income up front in the year to buy equipment and dollars are circulated in the local economy.
'It's sort of a win-win situation for consumers and for farms and for local communities,' Brown noted.
While these organizations strive to fight hunger in Madison, more help is always needed. Students can do their part by volunteering at meal sites, pantries or homeless shelters. Visit www.secondharvestmadison.org for more details.
'Our mission is real simple. We think that nobody should go to bed hungry tonight, especially children,' Mohelnitzky said.
