The Oshkosh Area Community Pantry (OACP) has long served the community as a primary source of food security in Southern Winnebago County. OACP continues to commit themselves to providing relief for Southern Winnebago County families. More than 1 in 3 households in Southern Winnebago live at or just above the federal poverty level (FPL) and OACP works tirelessly each day to eliminate food insecurity that many experience in our community. As many families enjoy the holiday season with family, festive gatherings, and shared meals, it’s important to remember that not everyone has the same experience. For many OACP families, the holidays can be a challenging and uncertain time. As we approach the holiday season, OACP is looking back on a year of record-breaking numbers of new families registered, guest visits each month, and food distributed through its open-choice guest shopping experience.
This year, OACP has seen a 93% surge in new families registered and has served an average of 2,275 families each month, through its location. Additionally, this year OACP has served over 4,000 students weekly through its School Pantry Program partnership with the Oshkosh Area School District. These numbers are a stark realization of the struggles many families face in our community everyday, and especially during the holiday season. Each day, more and more people rely on OACP to ensure their families have access to food to meet their basic needs and the increased volume of distribution has only been possible with the support of OACP partners, donors, and volunteers. In the last year, OACP has distributed over 2 million pounds of food to families in our community with the help of countless volunteer efforts. “As much as we are excited for the new year to come, we are reminded daily that for many families in our community, the stress of the holiday season is ever present” says Executive Director Ryan Rasmussen. OACP is seeking support this holiday season as they strive to spark hope for many families in our community. For anyone who would like to support OACP’s mission of eliminating food insecurity this holiday season visit oacptoday.org/spark-hope or call 920-651-9960 for more information.
OACP is open for guest shopping at their location in the Saint Vincent de Paul building at 2551 Jackson Street in Oshkosh, Mondays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. If you or someone you know is facing food insecurity, please visit oacptoday.org or contact OACP by calling 920-651-9960 for more information.
