Two weeks ago, Alexis Hirsig and Alex Derenne toured the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative’s food bank and were shocked to find the shelves nearly bare. The pantry, which supports over 1,500 veterans, was running low on donations. Determined to help, they took to social media—and what happened next was nothing short of a miracle.
“It spread like wildfire,” said Alexis Hirsig, a Pewaukee native.
Thousands of items were donated by the community, filling a truck with supplies for local veterans after Alexis’ post went viral.
“I’m overwhelmed by the generosity. The community really came together and made a difference,” Alexis added.
Homeless veterans in Wisconsin rely on the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative's food bank to help them get by. After seeing the empty shelves, Alexis knew she had to act.
“Our goal was to fill the truck, and we did that,” she said.
She issued a challenge to the community through social media, and the response was immediate.
Debbie Buchanan, the executive director of the initiative, explained the dire situation.
“A couple of weeks ago, we actually had to close our doors because we had run out of food,” Buchanan said.
With this new wave of donations, they can once again provide essential support to veterans.
“This gives us confidence in our inventory. Now, we’ll be able to provide food to all of those families,” Buchanan added.
Veterans like Regina Ivy, who served in the Army, understand the impact this help can have.
“There have been times when I came here because my family and I were low on food,” Ivy said. Now, she volunteers at the pantry to continue her service.
“It really took courage, compassion, and a vision to say, ‘We see the problem, and we want to help,’” Ivy said.
“These are our nation’s heroes. They made a sacrifice so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today,” Buchanan emphasized.
Alexis hopes the effort will continue to help veterans in need.
“Our hope is that we can assist veterans and never have to turn anyone down,” she said.
To learn more about Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative check out their website.
To donate check out the Amazon wish list.
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