wafer, inc. annual reportwafer is more than just statistics, figures, programs, or capacity. wafer...
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Dear Friends, This year I celebrated my 5 year anniversary with WAFER. Together we have made some wonderful strides in growth, improvements to service, and continued impact. I think of you and your continued support when I recall where we were and where we are today. Programs have been expanded, new programs have begun, innovation is at the forefront, and the desire to make a tangible difference for people is apparent. It is remarkable!
Challenges bring about opportunities if I look hard enough for them. One early morning I experienced an “aha moment” and an opportunity to understand just a little more about the inside workings of hunger. If you follow WAFER’s Facebook page you may remember this post from late November:
“What follows is not a "feel bad for me" or "pity party" post. I want to share details that I feel are significant that led to an aha moment and learning opportunity for someone who has served in non-profits for nearly 20 years. This week has been rough, operationally, for our staff. Yesterday was probably the worst. I worked nearly 12 hours, more than half was moving product 10-40 pounds consistently. We had a great crew, but days like that are taxing on our staff (like Leonard who was here 10 hours and worked alongside me for half). Fast forward to 2:30 this morning. I woke up, a lot on my mind. I was hungry, so hungry. My mind and my stomach kept me awake. I realized I had not eaten much yesterday and worked hard. I got up and had my breakfast at 4 am. So, here's the aha moment part..... As I stood in the kitchen eating toast my thoughts drifted to why I was up. I was hungry, but I had food I could eat. I thought to myself (aha moment), this may be what it is like when people don't have enough to eat. Not only are they hungry, but sleep is disrupted which means that the next day there is probably less productivity than there could be. The cycle will just perpetuate itself.......not eating, low energy, interrupted sleep, on and on. If this was the cycle in my life, how successful, productive, or motivated would I be to try to make a different way for myself? My guess is that it would be difficult to be able to push past the physical disruptions and find my way to something better. I think about children who may be in this cycle; how effective are they at school? I can relate to moms and the energy it takes to keep up with the children or the patience needed to make it through the day. There are a lot of scenarios, populations, associations, and more I spent time thinking about. My thoughts end with hope. You see, despite what might seem like a hopeless situation it doesn't have to be. The great thing is that WAFER Food Pantry is here to help, to break that cycle, to offer hope for something better. There is so much food in our country that we don't know what to do with it. I think by now we should know what to do with it. After all, when we raise the boat of one all boats raise. One in six are food insecure, five in six can help. Thanks for being one of our five! My friends, you choose to be a part of the solution and I can't tell you how much gratitude I feel!”
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Client Stories
Last year I shared some of the everyday stories I hear from clients, the moments that break my heart, and those that restore my faith in humanity. WAFER is more than just statistics, figures, programs, or capacity. WAFER is the people served. I hope you enjoy the snippets from my vantage point and from people who live very complicated lives.
Putting the pedal to the cold medal
Riding a bicycle around La Crosse is commonplace. As the
weather warms, more bicycles are on the road. However,
bicycles trudging through the snow are less common. Less than
desirable weather or road conditions doesn’t stop people from
getting on that bicycle to get to WAFER in order to put food on
the table. Bags are carefully balanced on handle bars, packed
in trailers or racks, carried on backs, or many other creative
ways to get home. Moments like these break my heart. I can’t
imagine the struggle to carry a cart of groceries on my bike, in
sub-zero windchills, and on slick roads. This is a struggle so
many of the people served by WAFER face all too often.
The weight of the world on his shoulders
He came for food for his family. An entire cart full of canned goods, fresh produce, milk, bread, eggs, meat, and more. He walked to WAFER. Now to figure out how to get these precious commodities home.
He stood in the lobby inspecting his cart and then began carefully bagging, tying the bags together. I watched through this process, unsure of where this would head. Then suddenly, one by one, the bags were slung over his shoulder. A bag in the front and another in the back, carefully added one to each side, distributing the weight as equally as possible.
Several minutes passed. Before I knew it that entire cart was ready to be carried out the door. The weight of his family’s needs resting on his shoulders. He was prepared to do whatever was necessary to put a meal on the table that night.
Sing a little song for the baby For the most part there is little interaction between clients unless they know each other. Occasionally they will share parts of their life, experiences, or a resource they found particularly helpful. There are rare moments, sweet moments that pass between strangers. One such privilege to witness was a man in the lobby start singing to a beautiful little girl with her momma. I am pretty sure the pantry stood still for a couple minutes to watch this precious interaction, everyone seemed to be filled will awe and wonderful. In case you were wondering, he sang "I'll be there" by The Jackson 5.
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Pounds for Pounds It is hard to measure the value of words until they have been spoken and then return to you. Perhaps there are times when you engage in a conversation that seems inconsequential only to find out later just how impactful it was to the other person.
One mother and her two children come in to get their food package monthly. The daughter is thin and struggles with a physical condition impacting her ability to get around. The son looks just like his mom, his eyes are so big and round. The mom is middle aged and shared with me that she had been diagnosed several diseases, disorders, or deficiencies. Her doctor had recommended losing weight by eating better. Her response was something like, ‘How in the world does one eat the way they should while living in poverty and take care of two kids alone?’ Produce, lots of WAFER’s produce. I encouraged her to take as much as she wanted and to try new things.
Each month, she reminds me of the conversation we had earlier in the year and the impact it had on her. I had shared my own personal dietary struggles and how my eating has changed over the years. I am definitely not a dietician, but I learned just enough in college and through my own struggles to offer my thoughts on the benefits of eating whole foods while eliminating specific foods to improve health (such as sugars, empty calories, highly processed foods, junk food, etc).
In the last year, she has called me from my office several times to remind me of our initial conversation and how it has helped to change her situation. Our most recent conversation in December she shared that she had lost 60 pounds and started walking. One might think around the block, working up to a mile, and so on. Nope! She walks 10+ miles. She will walk to the store 5 miles away, do her grocery shopping, and walk the 5 miles home with her purchase.
She made the decision to make important changes in her life, for her and her children. She has stuck with her commitment and is working so hard to live a more quality life, choosing more nutrient dense and quality foods for her and her children, and choosing to take control of her future. I am so proud of her for not giving up, for continuing even when it gets hard, for reaching goals and setting new ones, and for being proud of how far she has come. I am also greatly appreciative when she reminds me of the value of words.
Volunteers
You work the frontlines, often dealing with people who are emotionally battered, exhausted from just trying to survive, dealing with mental illness, homeless, humiliated by asking for help, grouchy about their circumstances, just plain difficult, or have little contact with others. You are the compassion they need! You give of your time, financial gifts, food, and a little piece of yourself with each person you help. Thank you is not nearly enough. What an honor it is for me to serve with you.
In 2017 volunteers gave 11,000+ hours of service, the most since 2012. The value of a volunteer hour (according to Independent Sector) is $22.48 in Wisconsin, therefore WAFER’s volunteers nearly $250,000 of hours worked. Even if each person was paid minimum wage, volunteers saved WAFER about $80,000 in staffing expenses.
“Giving” the gift of time looks different for every volunteer. Many people devote one or two days a week. Small groups may donate one day a month and make it a regular event. Other volunteers contribute their talents whenever and wherever they can
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Volunteers function in a variety of roles;
Working one-on-one with the clients as they walk thru the food pantry to collect food.
Unloading trucks
Sorting food
Assembling food packages for delivery programs
Picking up donations
Food deliveries
Cleaning
Stocking shelves or coolers
Staffing special events
Here are just a few of our “Rockstar” volunteers.
Kathy (r) and Sue (l) are regular Monday morning
volunteers. Kathy has been a volunteer with
WAFER for more than 10 years and Sue joined the
scene about 5 years ago. In addition to regular
Monday mornings, Sue can often be found offering
a cheery smile while volunteering for the once a
month Food Fair or at special events.
Jean has been a regular Monday volunteer for 16 years. Her gentle
approach to service and approachability provides a wonderful
experience for the clients.
Dave, Sig, and Mike (l to r) are the
muscles in the warehouse most
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
These three manage to make the work
fun while providing such a help to the
Warehouse Manager, Eric. Willing to do
just about anything, this team can knock
out more work in 3 hours than our staff
can accomplish in two days.
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Gensler, a local architect company, supports
WAFER is various ways; food drives and
volunteering. This group of employees and their
families volunteer for the annual Letter Carriers
Food Drive. They enjoy participating in this event
so much that they are the first ones to contact our
staff (early in the year) to get scheduled. This group
makes repetitive and, at times, heavy work fun.
They are all smiles and willing hands.
Larry works for our business neighbor, Mcloone Metal Graphics. Our
neighbors are excellent organization support. They provide logistical
assistance, emergency equipment usage, building security, warehouse
space, and volunteers. During the winter or rainy months, Larry in one of
many Mcloone employees that open up their warehouse on Food Fair days.
This space provides a warmer and dry area for the food as well as the
volunteers. It takes the effort and gifts of many for WAFER’s
programming to run as smoothly as it does and we are grateful for the
wonderful partnership with Mcloone.
Being a part of a college town provides the
opportunity to many energetic and willing
people to provide service, particularly for the
Food Fairs. This groups of UW-L students are
a part of “Student Service Saturdays”. They
are willing to help in whatever way,
performing any task. In addition to students
from UW-L we are fortunate to get great help
from WTC and Viterbo as well.
There are many departments at Logistics Health
Inc. that provide volunteers, particularly for the
Food Fairs. The employees frequently bring
family and friends, exposing them to the issue of
hunger in our community. Many return month
after month and are often times the difference in
having enough volunteers for the Food Fair to
run smoothly or being extremely short handed.
Not only do many departments provide physical
assistance, but they often conduct food drives for
the items we are in desperate need of.
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Andrew joined the evening volunteers in September as part of a
class requirement. He had many questions about what WAFER
does, services, food insecurity, and poverty. The more he became
involved and immersed in serving the greater his desire to continue
volunteering far beyond his required hours. He can regularly be
found volunteering on Thursday nights. He is so familiar with the
pantry workings that he too is able to identify what needs to be done
and get that accomplished.
Karen has been a long time Food Fair volunteer. She just shows up most
Food Fair mornings, jumps right in, and helps where she can. She helps
direct new volunteers, explains jobs, and can troubleshoot just about
anything. She does all this without batting an eye and providing such
compassionate service to the people who attend.
Tracy volunteers during the evening shift. She pitches right in
from the minute she gets here until the shift ends. She is great
at identifying what needs to be done and taking initiative to get
it done.
Volunteer turned donor. This describes Penny. She joined WAFER
for many months, many days during the week, until some family
obligation needed tending to. She provided such great help whether
it was serving the people or helping in the warehouse. This past
summer, Penny encouraged her family and friends to donate food for
WAFER for her birthday. She is pictured here with one of
WAFER’s staff, Leonard, with her collection. Penny still volunteers
with WAFER, mostly one day a week, and it one of those people
who exude compassion and acceptance of all.
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This past year brought forth many triumphs and trials. The launch of the Mobile Food Pantry was definitely a little of each. Planning, finding a vehicle, designing, outfitting, and troubleshooting this innovative project was a trial. There is no guidebook to walk an organization through a project such as this, there are few organizations who operate a program like this or even in a similar climate. Our team, comprised of staff and board members, pushed this through to completion, serving the first clients on September 26th in the communities of Bangor and Rockland. The response from those who used this program was exactly what we hoped for – the need was there and it was capable of meeting that need. Triumph! The project continues to experience both trials and triumphs, but next year I am hopeful that triumphs will be all we talk about!
Picture above are the Mobile Food Pantry vehicle, the internal layout, and at the St Clare Health Mission stop. It is an amazing and impactful piece of equipment. I encourage you to take a tour of it while it is parked at our building or out serving in the community, it is truly something spectacular.
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Another incident that I can classify under a triumph and trial was the flooding we experienced in July. Horrible, unexpected torrential rains swept through the area one summer night. Flooded basements, swollen creeks, and washed out roads were the headlines of the morning. Our staff arrived in the morning to find that the entire lower level of the building had been flooded. As the street drains caught up the internal water started to drain, leaving behind it a mess of mud and debris. Trial. We sent out a plea for help and help began to arrive. We were only closed for the morning shift, but managed to be open during the evening hours in time for our annual state inspection. What a day! Thanks to hard working staff and volunteers the building was put back into operational status very quickly despite the physical damage that remained. Triumph!
A few days later the restoration crew finally arrived to assist in drying out the walls. The majority of the walls were salvaged except a section near the front door where a crack in the foundation was discovered.
Through all the trials and triumphs there is one group that sticks together regardless of which we face. That is our staff. Not only are they dedicated to the mission and serving our clients, but they are endlessly available to do whatever it takes to make WAFER the best it can be. What was particularly
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significant in 2017 was turnover. The positions of Driver, Evening Client Coordinator, and Evening Manager were vacated and filled. Despite that transition we continue to have a strong, compassionate team! The Board of Directors were also a huge part of the trials and triumphs experienced this past year. They are amazing, dedicated, passionate about the mission, generous with their time and resources, responsive, supportive, thoughtful, wise, and determined. They range in length of service from 3 to 20 years, each bringing all they have to the table to ensure WAFER continues to live out the mission, responds to changing needs, and contributes to making local communities better for all. As I finalize the Annual Report for 2017, the process provided me yet another opportunity to reflect on all the goodness that occurs to meet needs and make our community better for all. I often find myself thinking about a volunteer, a group of volunteers, a particular gift and the giver, people that offer their varied skills in service, and the loving hearts of the multitude of people it takes to make WAFER as impactful as it is. Every gift is appreciated and used to the fullest. I thank you for your gifts, your heart of compassion, your desire to serve others, and your dedication to growing WAFER for the good of all. The continued generosity from many (you, individuals, families, churches, businesses, local and national retailers, Channel One Food Bank, United Way) makes it possible for thousands of families to have a meal on the table at mealtime. One thing is for certain, WAFER has and will continue to provide compassionate service to those who are hungry to ensure that no one goes to bed hungry. Thank you! In His Service,
Erin Waldhart Executive Director
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Highlights from 2017
Burn Bootcamp members and their families
joined us again for the March Food Fair. This
group brought energy and excitement to the
event. They are always to willing to help in
any way, which is evident by the young ladies
who graciously offered to stomp down the
cardboard pile.
In February, the owners of
Generous Earth Pottery
coordinated an “Empty Bowls”
fundraiser. 1000 handmade,
one-of-a-kind bowls were
available to purchase. Many
restaurants were on hand to fill
those bowls with varieties of
soup and chili. Attendees
provided positive feedback
about the bowls and the food.
For Valentine’s Day, WAFER volunteer
Dale arranged for a quartet to sing to the
ladies in the office. Dale had planned on
being a part of the group, but at the last
minute ended up with a winter sickness.
Also in February, a group of students
from UW-L Student Support Services
provided many hands for the Food Fair.
They provided service by handing out
food, assisting people with limited
mobility, retrieved carts, and cleaned up
the mess created by this event.
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In April, Rick Howard of Rick
Howard Painting filled the cracks
in the building and power washed
it in preparation for the Viterbo
Girls Softball team to paint the
exterior. What a face lift and
freshness this gave the building.
A group of students at UW-L organized
a rock concert fundraiser in April for a
class project. “Can You Rock?”
featured some fantastic musicians who
donated their time to the cause. Money
raised through raffles (of gift cards, a
guitar, and more) and donations all
benefitted WAFER clients. There was
post event talk about making this an
annual fundraiser.
In May, The Women’s Fund of Greater La
Crosse, conducted a hygiene supply drive.
Director, Heidi Svee, delivered are carload full
of feminine hygiene items, shampoo,
conditions, body wash, deodorant, bar soap,
razors, and more.
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The second Saturday every May is the annual
Letter Carriers Food Drive. This year we
received 17,000+ pounds of food. Thanks to
great volunteers provided by the United Way,
current WAFER volunteers, and a regular
group from Gensler (pictured), we were able to
crate up the food and get it back to the
building in less than 8 hours.
The 8th grade leadership team from Cashton spent a morning
with us sorting the food collected at the Letter Carriers Food
Drive, stocked shelves/coolers, repackaged bulk foods,
assisting clients, and whatever else was needed. This group
was fantastic and so willing to serve!
Also in May, The League of the Ridiculous, part of
the Beer By Bike Brigade, put together and
delivered feminine hygiene kits. These contained
pads, tampons, sanitary items, pain reliever,
chocolate, and a note of encouragement. These kits
ease the burden and sometimes negative stigma
associated with a woman’s cycle all while providing
items to make the process more comfortable.
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For the last 10 years, The La Crosse Concert Band has
collected donations for WAFER at one of their summer
concerts. Leadership and members of the band
advertise for and encourage their regular attendees to
bring items that are the most needed.
In July, the Health Information Management
Department at Gundersen Health System put
together “birthday bags”. These were given to
children who had upcoming birthdays so they
could have a cake with frosting, candles, and a
birthday toy to make their celebration special.
In September, People’s Food Co-op put together a “buy
a bag, make a difference for WAFER” food drive.
Patrons of the Co-op could buy a $10 or $20 bag of hot
cereal, rice, soup, beans, and applesauce to be given to
WAFER. This drive came at such a critical time as
supplies ran low after the high need of summer.
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Bangor FFA exceeded their own goals during
the 2017 growing season. They planted, cared
for, harvested, and delivered 25,000+ pounds of
fresh produce. Our clients literally experienced
farm to table as they took home cucumbers,
squash, corn, tomatoes, peppers, green beans,
potatoes, and more. What a huge blessing this
program has for WAFER’s clients by providing
them with produce at peak quality and nutrition.
On Halloween, the UW-L Girls Track
Team traveled around town collecting
food donations for WAFER for their
annual “Trick or Can” event. This year
they collected 1347 pounds of food in just
one evening, an increase of ~200 pounds
over last year.
Aquinas Middle School
student leaders
encourage their
classmates to get behind
their annual “Stuff the
Bus” food and hygiene
supplies drive. This was
the 15th annual campaign
and the students
delivered over 2 tons.
This is such a neat event
to be a part of,
particularly when the
delivery occurs. The
students are filled with
enthusiasm and energy,
their desire to make a
difference is almost
palpable.
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A member of the Beer By Bike Brigade contacted
our staff inquiring about any needs besides food.
A frequent un-met need is baby supplies, mainly
diapers. This was definitely an effort the group
could get behind (no pun intended). With donated
funds and supplies, delivered 3 pallets worth of
baby products – diapers, wipes, pull-ups, and more
– were delivered.
Western Technical College Human Service
students created resources boards for the
lobby. These boards display a variety of
local organizations and services that may
benefit the people WAFER serve that may
make life just a little better.
In December, Hillside Animal Hospital owner,
Dr. Robert Spencer, and his staff conducted their
9th annual Pet Food and Supplies Drive. This
year they provided 4800 pounds of pet goods,
the largest amount since this started. Pictured
here is Dr. Spencer, courtesy of the La Crosse
Tribune.
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Mission Statement
Responding to God’s love, WAFER provides food and works to eliminate hunger.
2017 Board of Directors
Taylor Haley President Mike Voss Vice-president Judy Siefert Secretary Lee Bluske Treasurer
Brad Clarkin Sally Friend Dennis Herricks
Jerry Saterbak Dorothy Stroschein
Dedicated to fighting hunger in La Crosse County since 1986 VISION Statement
WAFER is committed to addressing hunger related needs in La Crosse County, while treating each person with personalized service and dignity. We will procure food, develop resources, and collaborate with other programs, organizations, and businesses to alleviate hunger and food insecurity in our area. We will strive for effective stewardship of resources in order to provide successful food assistance programs. Over the course of the next five years, WAFER will be working to reach those in our population most at risk, children and seniors. Our strategic directives include:
Expanding and developing food procurement and food distribution Educating clients on nutrition and food preparation
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Who does wafer help?
WAFER provides food to individuals/families throughout La Crosse County (the city of La Crosse, Mindoro, Holmen, West Salem, Onalaska, Bangor, Rockland) and La Crescent, MN due to their distance from their TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program – government commodities) outlet. In 2017, 38,862 people were fed through WAFER programming and 1 in 3 were under the age of 18. Each food package contains 3 meals a day for 4-5 days for each person in the family. Throughout 2017 more than 1,350,000 million meals were provided through in-house food distribution and various outreach programs. 636 new families used WAFER services in 2017. The face of hunger for the people served at WAFER is similar to the face you see passing by you on the sidewalk. Hunger does not discriminate, it affects all people regardless of age, gender, race, family upbringing, social status, or any other factor. WAFER families/individuals come from every walk of life: single parent household, two parents working yet still unable to get by, chronically disabled, newly diagnosed, jobless, homeless, veterans, seniors, and others.
WAFER operates a variety of programs and services:
Food Package Distribution The main program is food package distribution. Clients receive 4-5 day’s worth of food a minimum of one time per month; quantities vary with food package size. The food package consists of non-perishables (canned fruit and vegetables, pasta, beans, tuna, cereal, peanut butter, crackers, soup, tomato products, mac-n-cheese, and side dishes as available), bakery items, dairy products (milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs), frozen meat, a plethora of produce (such as lettuce, greens, onions, potatoes, oranges, apples, bananas, peppers, melon, squash, berries, cabbage, green beans, carrots), and hygiene items. Mobile Food Pantry New in September 2017, The Mobile Food Pantry program is a specially designed vehicle that travels to various communities and neighborhoods throughout La Crosse County to provide food package distribution closer to home. The Mobile Food Pantry has a similar set up to the in-house food pantry and offers the same foods - canned goods, bakery items, frozen meat, dairy products, fresh produce, and hygiene items. Clients are able to board the vehicle to choose their foods. Clients may either receive a food package at the food pantry or at the mobile food pantry, not both. Regular scheduled stops makes the service predictable, reliable, and accommodating.
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Senior Share The Senior Share program provides WAFER’s normal food package to low income senior citizens. Food is pre-packed according to preferences, as much as possible, and delivered to sixteen La Crosse County senior meal sites, apartment complexes, or community sites.
Feeding Today’s Youth WAFER oversees two initiatives for the Feeding Today’s Youth programming. One, a grant allowing the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse to provide a hearty afterschool snack to children who might otherwise not receive an adequate evening meal. Two, in coordination with the Bangor School District, we are able to provide easy to prepare or already prepared foods for children to take home on the weekend. Understanding that even though Bangor isn’t considered a “food dessert” (meaning urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food within an one mile radius and 10 mile radius respectively) there are few community resources for people to utilize. This program is designed to assure children have access to food outside of the school setting. Students who participate in this program return to school on Monday ready to learn and have every opportunity for proper development. Each week approximately 40 children take home food a minimum of one time.
Food Fair In partnership with Channel One Foodbank, a Feeding America Foodbank, we are able to offer an additional food giveaway one time per month. The Food Fair is typically held the 4th Saturday of each month except around holidays or community events. Each account holder is issued a ticket for the Food Fair in order to receive the food package. Pallets of food come from Channel One and are lined up in the street during good weather months or the Mcloone warehouse behind the WAFER building during cold/rainy months. Participants bring their own bags/boxes/wagons to collect their food package which typically weights ~50 pounds. The contents of the food package varies from month to month based on availability at Channel One but typically contains cereal, produce, bakery, meat, canned goods, and crackers. In 2017, Channel One provided an extra 222,005 pounds of food to 4914 households (not included in the total number of food packages given in 2017) through this event.
Mobile Drop The Mobile Drop Program is the delivery of the traditional food package to the rural communities of Mindoro and Bangor. To decrease or eliminate transportation barriers for families and individuals living in rural areas, WAFER volunteers assemble food packages based as much as possible on personal preferences. These food packages and a food fair box are delivered one-time per month to pre-established locations in the respective communities.
Hmong Food Package The Hmong Food Package contains 5 basic staples found in the Hmong diet and is one of WAFER’s longest operating programs. This food package has been offered for more than 10 years since many of the Hmong families do not use or eat a portion of the foods available in the “traditional” food package. Many traditional American staples are not a part of the Hmong diet. Therefore, Hmong families can receive bamboo shoots, fish sauce, two varieties of rice noodles, and rice in their food package if they so choose.
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Food Rescue Food Rescue is a major component of WAFER’s overall functioning and the means by which we are able to offer a large assortment of fresh food items as well as some dry products. Each day of the business week at least one driver is making stops throughout the community rescuing food that is “unsalable” in the store because of a dented box, close sell-by date, package mislabeling, and more. Produce in particular is typically quite bountiful, giving client families a wonderful choice of healthy, nutrient-dense foods. Due to the generosity of WAFER’s regular donors, people have an abundance of wholesome fresh foods to choose in addition to produce; dairy, baked goods, eggs, meat, and more. In 2017, rescued food accounted for ~820,000 pounds. Where 1 pound = $1, $800,000+ in product was rescued for the expense in vehicle and staff costs of roughly $30,000.
Financial information
WAFER receives financial support from personal and business donations, foundations, grants, and the United Way.
Operating Expense Accounts, minimum of 6 months reserves to insure uninterrupted
service...$249,436.93
Capital Improvements and Maintenance Accounts, for future expansion, building and equipment
needs...$269,669.94
Capital Improvements and Maintenance Accounts, for ongoing programs including Nutrition-Education
Training and the Mobile Food Pantry...$323,142.69
Other Assets Including Property and Equipment...$322,045.99
Total Assets...$1,164,296.18
Operating Expense Accounts include checking and money market accounts.
Capital Improvement and Maintenance Accounts include bond funds and money market accounts.
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We wish to acknowledge our community donors that supported WAFER
from January – December 2017 by collecting food.
Weekly Food Donors
Aldi
Big Lots
Great Harvest Bread Company
Kwik Trip
Linda’s Bakery
Panera
Reinhart Companies
Sam’s Club
Starbucks
Target
Walmart La Crosse
Walmart Onalaska
Westby Creamery
Civic Groups/Associations
Bangor Boy Scouts
Bangor FFA
Beer By Bike Brigade
Cub Pack #247
Cub Scout Pack 17
Exercise to End Hunger
Fox Hollow Tues. Ladies Golf League
Friends of Mississippi
Gateway Area Boy Scouts
Girl Scouts of Riverland Council
Kaplan Difference Makers
Kaplan Professionals
Kwik Trip Stoddard
La Crescent Animal Rescue
La Crosse Area Realtors Association
La Crosse Chamber Chorale
La Crosse Concert Band, Inc
La Crosse Country Club Ladies Golf Association
La Crosse Duplicate Bridge Club
League of the Ridiculous/Beer by Bike Brigade
National Association of Letter Carriers
North American Squirrel Association
Operating Engineers Local 139
PEO Sisterhood Chapter CR
Rotary Club of La Crosse - After Hours
Rotary Lights
Sparta Kiwanis Club
Sundalword Carolers
Women's Fund of Greater La Crosse
YMCA
Governmental Partner
Bangor Post Office
Mindoro Post Office
USO
Wisconsin Department of Transportation - La Crosse
Schools and Education Partners
Aquinas Middle School
UWL Track Team
UW-La Crosse Volunteering Within
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Business and Corporate Partners
Ace Hardware
Advanced Spinal Care
Agricultural Transport
Agropur Ingredients
American Airlines
American Marine
Associated Bank
Bethany Riverside
Bittersweet Floral
Briedenbach Chiropractic
CenturyLink
Chartwell
Coulee State Bank
Craig's Meats
Credit Bureau Data
Dahl Automotive
Degen Berglund
Downtown Mainstreet, Inc.
DuraTech Industries
Dynamic Recycling
GECU The Friendly Credit Union
Gerrard-Hoeschler
Goodwill Industries
Gordy's Market
Great Lakes Coca Cola
Gundersen Health System
Gundersen Onalaska
Hampton Inn & Suites
Hansen's IGA
Hidden Trails Corn Maze
Hillside Animal Hospital
Hillview Greenhouse Life Center
Hillview Health Care
Holiday Inn Express
La Crosse Public Library
LACROSSEFIT INC.
Little Caesar's Pizza
Logistics Health Inc.
Marine Credit Union
Mcloone Metal Graphics Inc.
Metropolitan Salon & Day Spa
Mutual of Omaha
Neighbor for Neighbor Food Pantry
New Horizons
Old Dutch
Onalaska Emergency Food Basket
P&K Family Trucking
People's Food Cooperative, Inc.
Potato King
Quillin's IGA Island
Ranze Trucking
Recycling Fair
Rivoli Theater
SAV Express
The Tomato Patch
Toyota of La Crosse
Trane Company
Tri-State Business
WCCU Credit Union
Wellness Center
Wells Fargo Bank
Werner Enterprises
Woodman's Food Market
Churches
Congregation Sons of Abraham
English Lutheran Church
Faith United Methodist Church
First Baptist Church
First Congregational Church
First Presbyterian Church
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
North Presbyterian Church
Olivet Lutheran Church
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Rockland United Methodist Church
Roncalli Newman Parish
St Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church
St. James Catholic Church
St. John's United Church of Christ
St. Joseph Cathedral
St. Paul Lutheran WELCA
St. Paul's Lutheran Church
Trinity United Church of Christ
Wesley United Methodist Church
*Due to human error a donor may have been unintentionally missed.
23
Food package distribution
1986-2017
Distribution by age 2017
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
250001
98
6
19
94
20
00
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
20
16
20
17
Adults
Adults
Senior Citizens (60+)
Children
24
Total Pounds Distributed
2001-2017
0
200000
400000
600000
800000
1000000
1200000
1400000
1600000
1800000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
286223
272323
222055
195669
170667
123223
92909
89295
57761
51700
51615
6243
2017 Food Sources and Poundage Received
Walmart
Sam's Club
Channel One Food Bank - Food Fair
TEFAP
Community Donations - produce, other
Food donations/drives (not corporate)
Purchased
Westby Creamery
Target
Bakery
Kwik Trip
Reinhart
25
Number of visits by county 2016
Wisconsin
La Crosse 17144
Vernon 14
Trempealeau/Jackson 37
Monroe 19
Richland/Crawford/Buffalo 4
Minnesota
Houston 178
Number of visits by county 2017
Wisconsin
La Crosse 16998
Vernon 56
Trempealeau/Jackson 23
Monroe 11
Crawford/Buffalo 10
Minnesota
Houston 188
Visits by Community in La Crosse County
City of La Crosse Onalaska Holmen West Salem Bangor Mindoro Rockland
26
If you should have questions regarding the contents of WAFER’s annual report, please contact a
board member or the Executive Director.
Address: 403 Causeway Blvd, La Crosse, WI 54603
Phone: 608-782-6003
Email: [email protected]
Website: waferlacrosse.org
THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO
FILL THE SHELVES AND
HELPING YOUR NEIGHBORS
RIGHT HERE AT HOME!