Haul Out Hunger: Winnebago
posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2018
"I've been here for over 20 years and it's the same thing that keeps me coming back all this time...the people that we're helping," said Wayne Johns of the Neighborhood Food Pantry of Winnebago County. "We have a lot of single mothers come in here with their children and when they leave with food they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford on their own, you know you're helping the ones that truly need it most."
Fueled by generosity, kindness and servant leadership, the Neighborhood Food Bank represents the idyllic charm of rural America and we couldn't have been happier to leave 15 cases of pork loins with anyone else. The pork loins donated today will provide roughly 4,320 servings of pork for local families in Winnebago County.
Open every Monday afternoon and anytime on an as-needed basis, the food bank relies on 12-15 regular volunteers to serve 180- 200 families a month.
"I retired from the Winnebago plant and wanted to give back to the community," said Tim Kleemeier, who matches the typical profile of the food bank's volunteer base. "It's a very fulfilling experience and rewarding to see so many community members support a common cause."
In addition to today's donation of 900 pounds of pork, the food bank relies on local businesses, churches, schools and even the local coop to help keep their shelves stocked.
"We're very fortunate to have the support that we do," said Tim. "Agriculture is very strong in this area and it's not uncommon for local farmers to donate ground beef or pork, and there are even farmers that donate a share of their harvest profits to us via the coop, but a donation like this... it's very uncommon and we are so grateful."
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