Food Insecurity

Food pantries generally see a burst of giving around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but that giving tends to dry up come spring.

That’s why the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry hosts an annual spring challenge.

The challenge started years ago when a businessman provided a million-dollar matching fund for competing food pantries. 

When that program ended, an anonymous local resident stepped in to make a partial match for any donations to the Rhinelander Area Food Pantry through March and April.

Schools provide some children with free breakfast and lunch, but what happens when the weekend rolls around?

The Weekend Backpack Program started with one child and one bag filled with a weekend’s worth of food.

Since then, the program has grown to encompass children across multiple school districts, including – most recently – Phelps.

Last week, Feed Our Rural Kids announced its expansion into the Phelps school district.

To meet the needs of that community, they’re partnering with the Weekend Backpack Program.