”Dinner is on Us” Mobile Pantry Events Coming to Wisconsin During Hunger Action Month
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and UnitedHealthcare are delivering
free, healthy food to more than 16,000 people in 11 counties across the
state.
During a 10-day road trip to 10 Wisconsin counties (Dodge, Jefferson,
Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Calumet, Portage, Wood, Marathon and
Outagamie), volunteers, including UnitedHealthcare employees, will visit
many community- and faith-based organizations to feed about 16,000
people.
A mobile pantry truck filled with vegetables, proteins, whole wheat
pasta and recipes will drive to each location where volunteers will
hand-deliver the food to people who request it.
UnitedHealthcare is partnering with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
to ensure people throughout the state have access to fresh, nutritious
food. September is Hunger Action Month, and through these community
partnerships we have the opportunity to help people during a challenging
economy access critical health resources and services across Wisconsin,
said Jeffrey Nohl, president of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan in
Wisconsin.
Since 2006, Feeding America has made an effort to increase the amount of
nutritious food distributed to local food pantries, meal programs and
seniors. According to a recent study, the food bank has experienced a
40-percent increase in the number of people relying on the organization
for food. The 2010 Hunger Study also found:
The survey also told us that even people who are employed and in some
cases receiving assistance from the government are facing food
insecurity, said Bonnie Bellehumeur, president of Feeding America
Eastern Wisconsin. That means some eastern Wisconsin families are not
earning enough to feed their families and pay rent or a mortgage.
About Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
330,000 people in
Wisconsin rely on food supplied by Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
The food bank is the largest, private, nonprofit distributor of food in
the state. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin distributes over 18 million
pounds of food annually to 1,000 food pantries, meal programs and
shelters throughout the state. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is
affiliated with Feeding America, which is consistently ranked as one of
the most efficient charities, out of the countrys 100 largest
charities, by Forbes magazine. Since 1982, Feeding America Eastern
Wisconsin has distributed nearly 300 million pounds of food. To learn
more about hunger in Wisconsin, log on to www.feedingamericawi.org.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to
helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health
care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and
sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers
the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers
and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. UnitedHealthcare serves more
than 38 million people and is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth
Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being
company.