MILWAUKEE — TMJ4 is proud to partner with the Hunger Task Force for the Home for the Holidays food drive. It's a way you can help stop hunger right here in our community.
The Hunger Task Force helps ensure food pantries across our area are stocked for those in need—pantries like the one at Vivent Health, a nonprofit that assists those living with HIV.
Kelli Hirt is the director of Wisconsin Food and Nutrition Services for Vivent Health. She said having nutritious food for their clients aids in holistic healing.
"We believe food is an essential piece of healthcare," said Kelli.
Every month, they serve about 550 people. Kelli said that’s about 200 more people than they saw in September. The reason for the increase is a number of factors, including the economy.
"I think it just speaks to what’s happening in our communities—food accessibility and prices. Over the years, it has definitely grown, especially with people losing some of their emergency SNAP benefits," said Kelli.
That’s why Kelli says their partnership with the Hunger Task Force is crucial. The Hunger Task Force provides about one-third of the food for Vivent Health, allowing Vivent to utilize grant money to purchase other food needs for their clients.
Watch: Help fight hunger this holiday season.
"Sometimes, especially around the holidays, we have people who may not eat pork; they may need Halal meat. We get to move that money and put it into those clients' needs," said Kelli.
"Nutrition is a key component of all of our health. For people struggling with illness or disease, access to healthy food is imperative to their wellness," said Matt King, the CEO of the Hunger Task Force.
Matt said they have recently seen a 30% increase in visits to food pantries. For locals, obtaining fresh, nutritious produce can be challenging due to rising prices and lack of access. Across their programs, they serve about 50,000 people.
"Half of those are kids, and over 10,000 are low-income seniors every month, so there is a focus on the most vulnerable in our community," said Matt.
And while more people in our community are visiting food pantries on a daily basis, it underscores how crucial donations and support are, especially during the holiday season.
You can donate all month long by clicking here.
On Thursday, TMJ4 will be taking donations through the Home 4 the Holidays phone bank from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Donations are being matched up to $10,000.
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