This coalition was initially formed:
as a grassroots initiative responding to a locally identified need

Mission/Purpose
To develop a new food pantry which qualifies for TEFAP and Second Harvest food.

Description
Members interact primarily for the purpose of exchanging information and communication.

Organizations/Groups Represented
Business/Industry
CAP agencies
Emergency meal sites
Food pantries
Individual community members
Justice System
Public health/WIC staff
Religious organizations
UW-Extension

Primary Leadership
Provided by Extension

Extension's Leadership Role
Active member; provide primary leadership for the Coaltion

Strategies/Projects/Activities of the Coalition
assessing/measuring the extent of hunger/food insecurity
conducting outreach to connect potential participants to federal nutrition assistance programs (school meals, food stamps)
creating and distributing a resource directory (directing low income residents to sources of assistance)
improving community capacity to address hunger/food insecurity (* primary project)
networking a variety of organizations/individuals working in the area of hunger prevention
networking emergency food providers in the county (* primary project)
organizing food drives to supply emergency food providers
other (please specify)
promoting/coordinating food collection and distribution other than food drives (through Hunt for the Hungry, Plant a Row for the Hungry, gleaning projects, etc)
raising awareness of hunger and food insecurity (* primary project)
We are in the beginning stages of developing a community garden

Funding
This coalition has funding for general operations.

This coalition has funding for specific operations.

Internal Planning
This coalition has participated in planning and organizational (internal) development activities (such as strategic planning, creating a mission statement, training of members).

Evaluation
This group has evaluated its functioning.
This group has not evaluated its strategies/projects/activities.

Success Story
Since April 2005 we have raised over $125,000. The money was used to help feed 8,442 visitors to the pantry, 3,167 of these were children. We have distributed 144,729 pounds of food. We are serving 715 core families who attend the pantry twice per month.

Comments
My Food Pantry work has been some of the most meaningful work I've ever done. I only hope our community garden efforts will be as worthwhile. I look to the gardening effort as a way of involving an entirely new group of people to the hunger table in support of the pantry. It's another level of commitment and support we hope to have this year. Also, our sustained donor campaign was very successful - others may want to try it.