TEAMING UP: Salvation Army, Feed the Children help Milwaukee families
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Hundreds of cars lined up near 60th Street and Mill Road Wednesday morning to wait for boxes of food and other essentials.
It's the fifth year Salvation Army and Feed the Children are teamed up to serve the community at Brentwood Church.
“The sense of gratitude that people have, that there is a resource like this, I can tell they come with open hearts ready to receive and that’s a really neat thing,” said Captain Christine Giffey-Brohaugh with the Salvation Army.
Organizers were expecting about 800 families, plus they had some extra boxes standing by for anyone who hadn’t planned on coming and previously received a voucher. Each family got 2 boxes one with personal items like shampoo, bug spray and hand soap. The other contains enough food to feed a family of 4 for a week. Every one also got a pack of bottled water.
“If you think about how long a box of groceries would last your own family. It would be a small token. I think the symbolism of what that box entails is so much greater. It shows a family that somebody cares about them, its shows a family that someone is aware that they are struggling, and it gives them just a little bit deeper sense of confidence and hopefulness that maybe they can build on this one small seed that`s been planted in their lives,” said Giffey-Brohaugh.
Some people who showed up had been there before; others were first-timers, like Pamela Moore.
“We are currently doing foster care, so it’s a nice resource to help us continue to be able to service the families that we serve as well,” said Moore, “It helps make things last longer so we can have food and we don't have to worry about it from month to month.”
Some vehicles received more than two boxes, if they were picking up multiple families or for local agencies or organizations.
Volunteers help The Salvation Army serve people every day. To volunteer, please contact Joy Cony at 414-302-4300 or e-mail at Joy_Cony@usc.salvationarmy.org and she will put you in touch with a volunteer representative in your area if you live outside of Milwaukee County.
Year-Round Activities with the Salvation Army: