Dunn County Food Share beneficiaries lost $548,000 per month when COVID benefits ended
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — When the COVID-19 public benefits stopped for Food Share, Dunn County residents lost more than half their benefits, representing a decrease of $548,142 per month.
The emergency allotments for Food Share ended in February of this year, with March being the first month of regular allotments, said Jessica Lindstrom, economic support manager for Dunn County Human Services, at the October 26 meeting of the Dunn County Health and Human Services Board.
In January of 2023, the monthly average for Food Share allotments was $1,144,311, and in August the monthly average for Food Share allotments was $596,169, according to information Lindstrom provided to the Health and Human Services Board.
The average Food Share monthly allotment per case was $515.45 in January, and in August, the average Food Share monthly allotment had decreased to $279.10, Lindstrom said.
Food pantries
In addition to the federal government’s increased allotments for Food Share, Stepping Stones of Dunn County, a non-profit organization that provides food, shelter and support to those in need, also increased the number of pop-up food pantries during the pandemic.
The numbers reported by Stepping Stones are combined numbers for all the pantries offered by the organization, Lindstrom said.
Stepping Stones representatives attributed the increase in food pantry use from August of 2022 to August of 2023 to the decreased amounts for Food Share allotments, higher food costs and word-of-mouth, she said.
In August of 2022, there were 1,114 visits to the food pantries, and in August of 2023, there were 1,317 visits to the food pantries, an increase of 203 visits, according to information Lindstrom provided to the Health and Human Services Board.
In August of 2022, the number of adults going to the food pantries was 873, and in August of 2023, the number of adults going to the food pantries was 1,683, an increase of 810 adults.
In August of 2022, the number of children served by the food pantries was 509, and in August of 2023, the number of children served by the food pantries was 1,032, and increase of 523 children.
The total number of people served by the food pantries in August of 2022 was 2,064, and the total number of people served by the food pantries in August of 2023 was 3,371, and increase of 1,307.
Pop-up pantries
According to the Stepping Stones website, the Stepping Stones pop-up food pantries are available on the following schedules:
• Sand Creek — every first and third Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the the Sand Creek Arts Building, E9311 County Road I.
• Ridgeland — every first and third Thursday; 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Ridgeland Community Center, 200 Diamond Street.
• Downsville — every second and fourth Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at New Hope Lutheran Fellowship Hall, N2698 460th Street.
• Colfax — every second and fourth Thursday; 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Viking Bowl, N8590 State Road 40.
• Elk Mound — every first Tuesday; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Elk Mound Village Hall, E206 Menomonie Street.
• Rock Falls — every first Tuesday; 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rock Falls Town Hall, N995 County Road H.
Menomonie
Stepping Stones of Dunn County, 1602 Stout Road, Menomonie, has inside shopping only available (no curb side) at the food pantry from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays; and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
Curbside pick-up only is available (no inside shopping) from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays.
In 2022, Stepping Stones had over 12,000 visits to the food pantry and distributed 615,000 pounds of food (or more than 300 tons).
The community donated 149,000 pounds of food (or 74.5 tons).
In 2022, Stepping Stones provided nearly 11,000 shelter nights that included stays at hotels, motels and the organization’s two shelters.
Volunteers devoted more than 11,000 hours of their time, which is the equivalent of 5.3 full-time employees, according to information available on the Stepping Stones website.
