GREEN BAY, WI- (WGBW) – Food insecurity is an issue in Northeast Wisconsin. It affects children, students, and adults. Co-Chair and Founding Member of Brothers Helping Brothers Wisconsin, Delorean Walls, said upcoming conversations on food insecurity and a food drive right before the NFL Draft in Green Bay will help ease some hunger in the area.
Walls said on April 15th, a roundtable discussion on food insecurities amongst college students will take place at St. Norbert’s College. Walls is organizing a food drive on April 23. The Packers Superfan Food Drive at 1st and Goal on University Avenue in Green Bay will benefit the food pantry at St. Norbert’s.
“If you come in and bring a canned good or anything like that, you qualify for certain prizes,” Walls said. “And we’re hoping to raise over 1,000 pounds of food to give away to St. Norbert’s food pantry.”
Food Insecurity in Brown County
As federal programs see funding cuts, Wisconsin food banks are set to lose over $2 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In Brown County, approximately one out of three people is affected by food insecurity. According to Walls, 22.8% of Brown County suffers from food insecurity, while 31.7% of the population has lowered food security.
Lowered food security generally refers to a situation where individuals or households have less reliable access to enough nutritious or safe food for an active and healthy life.
“Honestly, I don’t think people don’t see it. I think it’s the delusion that they don’t want to see it. Because if we have been named the number one safest place to live, physically. If we’ve been named a couple years ago to number one place to relocate, physically. We almost are forgetting about the psychological aspect of things that makes us safe, and we talk about the basic needs of a person,” Walls explained. “Lot of times that I’ve talked to people, our basic needs have not been met, and food insecurity is one of them.”
Personal Experience
Walls said he understands the struggle on a personal level. He is one of those who has experienced food insecurity, as a child and as an adult.
“I remember living on Capitol Drive here in Green Bay with my three older brothers and my mother in a one-bedroom apartment. And we had to scrape up funds to see how we were going to eat for four adults in a house,” Walls recalled. “I remember being that man who didn’t know what my next meal was going to come from I’ve never been a man having to eat noodles three-four times a week.”
Walls continued that he remembers the boxes of food containing powdered milk and bulk cheese. He said local programs need to be more proactive rather than reactive to the Brown County situation.
“What about the summertime when the kids get out of school?” Walls asked. “It’s only gonna cost us 18 to 19 thousand to give them breakfast, lunch, and a snack to take home. That’s for every kid in Brown County.”
Taking Action
Walls will be travel to Madison with members of the Food Leadership Lab to discuss funding with legislators. He believes that many of the lawmakers don’t see hunger as an issue.
Walls said it is. And it’s a very important issue for children, especially.
“It’s very easy to miss when you’re not looking for it. You know, we talk about schools, we talk early in a conversation about the elementary.” Walls paused, “…I get kind of emotional when I talk about that, especially with the kids when having food. I was talking to a teacher the other day ago. Most children come to school because they can get a breakfast in them. Then, if a kid gets suspended, they don’t get that.
Walls made his comments on Civic Media’s Maino and the Mayor Show airing weekdays from 6 – 9 am on 98.3/96.5 WISS and 97.9 WGBW.
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