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Operation Picnic 2022

Feed My People Food Bank is raising funds through its third annual "Operation Picnic" summer hunger campaign to provide food to families facing hunger in west central Wisconsin. Thanks to generous matching sponsors, every dollar raised July 11-31, 2022, up to $21,000, will be matched to help reach its goal of 168,000 meals funded.

To donate to Operation Picnic, please go to give.fmpfoodbank.org/OperationPicnic no later than July 31, 2022. Every dollar up to $21,000 will be matched by our generous sponsors so this is a chance to double the impact of every gift. 

"So many of our neighbors are having trouble putting food on their tables. The cost of food is higher than it has been in over 40 years. That combined with the price of gas, rent, and electricity have made it almost impossible for families to make ends meet," shared Nancy Renkes, executive director of Feed My People.

Operation Picnic Partner matching sponsors are Bush's, Chippewa Valley Growers (CVG), and Royal Credit Union (RCU), having donated $5,000 each to the cause. Watermelon Winner sponsors each donated $1,000-$2,000 and includes Kurt Jacobson, Dr. John and Kathy Look, TDS Telecom, Dr. Douglas and Serena Terpstra, and one anonymous donor.

John Kelly, co-owner of CVG, shared, "We chose (to sponsor) Feed My People as they directly help kids. No child makes the choice to be hungry or malnourished.  CVG has been blessed in many ways, it is our hope to share our blessings to help others."

Staff and volunteers at Feed My People have been packing ready-to-eat food bags and backpack meals and distributing them to over 260 hunger relief organizations throughout west central Wisconsin. An especially crucial program has been its Pop-Up food distributions, which is a targeted outreach providing groceries where they are needed most, especially in underserved, rural areas. Funds raised through Operation Picnic will go towards the Pop-Up program and hunger relief organizations including food pantries and meal sites.

As a part of Operation Picnic, a special food packing event on Thursday, July 28 will be held in preparation for future Pop-Up food distribution events. Volunteers from Operation Picnic sponsors will come together throughout the day to assemble bags of food to be distributed to hungry people in our community. Volunteer shifts are still available. Call 715-835-9415 to sign up.