St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marinette Food Pantry, a pillar of Marinette, Menominee, and Oconto County communities since 1922, is grappling with unprecedented demand due to a mixture of socio-economic factors, including a reduction in Pandemic EBT benefits and rising grocery costs.
The food pantry, part of a holistic community support system including a thrift store and a ‘Getting Ahead’ program, distributed a record-breaking 275,000 pounds of food in 2022. Midway through 2023, the pantry is already on track to significantly surpass that number, having distributed 270,000 pounds of food to date.
“It is unbelievable the demand we are experiencing,” said Ashley Berken, Executive Director. “We thought last year was hard. This year we are shocked every week and scrambling to ensure everyone gets food. While our community has stepped up in major ways by donating food items, we need to be able to pay our staff and purchase more food to continue to operate efficiently.”
Facing an increase in new families each week, the pantry’s resources are stretched thin. The organization has been forced to employ more staff and spend more of its limited financial resources on purchasing additional food items like dairy products and meats. Every Wednesday, from 10 am to 4 pm, up to 600 people line up for assistance — many arriving as early as 8 am, some on bicycles and in wheelchairs.
To help St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marinette Food Pantry continue its critical mission, the organization is calling for financial donations. Contributions can be made online at svdpmarinette.org or by mailing a check or money order to PO Box 1111, Marinette, WI 54143. Businesses are also encouraged to become food pantry sponsors. Learn more at svdpmarinette.org. Community members are also encouraged to support the food pantry by shopping at the associated thrift store.
For more information, please contact svdp@svdpmarinette.com or call 715-735-6956.
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