University of Wisconsin - Extension

Contact: Kadi Row, (608) 265-2934, kadi.row@ces.uwex.edu

People with minimum-wage or low-paying jobs who work full-time often don’t earn enough to make ends meet. And for those already living in poverty--8.7 percent of the state’s population, according to 2000 Census data--food assistance programs such as Wisconsin’s FoodShare can be a lifeline.

"Hunger is related to income," says Kadi Row, food security specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension. "People don’t have enough food, or can’t get access to food, because they simply can’t afford it. It’s not that they are buying too many things they don’t need. It is that basic needs aside from food are competing for limited household resources. With housing and energy costs rising, there simply isn’t enough money left at the end of the month for many families to buy food," says Row.

To combat the problem, a group of educators, food pantry managers, community leaders, social workers and others involved in helping those with insufficient food met in Stevens Point recently for a Hunger Summit.

Sponsored by the Wisconsin Food Security Consortium along with the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Summit participants aimed to help "put food on the table" by addressing the root causes of hunger and food insecurity, or lack of access to enough food for an active and healthy lifestyle.

More than 200 participants at the Summit examined alternatives to strengthen families’ financial independence such as raising the minimum wage. Providing education about strategies such as community gardens where families can grow their own healthy food was another major goal. Government-supported housing and insurance programs like Wisconsin’s Badgercare, which offers health care for low-income families with children, also contribute to creating a more secure economic environment.

By building a system that combines education, federal nutrition programs, emergency food reserves and supporting access to affordable, nutritious food and financial security, Summit participants hope to reduce hunger in Wisconsin.

More regional meetings will be held to get people involved in an action plan to reduce hunger and food insecurity in Wisconsin. To learn more about hunger in the state, visit http://www.wisconsinfoodsecurityconsortium.org.