'Hunger isn’t seasonal:' When the Bucks block shots, donations pour into Hunger Task Force

Bucks, Cousins Block Out Hunger

GLENDALE -- Every block the Milwaukee Bucks rack up this season – 309 as of Monday, Feb. 26 -- adds up on more than just the stat sheet.

Jim Paschke

“We have an issue in our communities across the state that we can help with and take care of," said Jim Paschke, the voice of the Bucks.

As part of the Block Out Hunger Campaign, Cousins Subs is donating $50 to the Hunger Task Force for every rejection, all season long.

“We’re thrilled that we’re already donating over $15,000, and the season is not even over yet," said Christine Specht, president and CEO of Cousins Subs.

It doesn’t take a seven-foot wingspan to make an impact. Throughout the month of March, people who drop off three healthy, non-perishable food items at any Cousins location in Wisconsin will receive a buy-one-get-one deal on subs and a Bucks' ticket offer.

“It elevates the issue of hunger in the eyes of sports fans who are attending the Bucks' games," Hunger Task Force Executive Director Sherrie Tussler said. "It lets the community know when they’re out having a good time that they can also help out.”

Now in its third year, the campaign has collected 10,349 pounds of food and $29,665 – distributed through Hunger Task Force to a network of food pantries throughout the state.

“They can know that the food that they gave will go directly to a low-income person, and no one will have to pay for it. There won’t be any cost or fees associated with it," said Tussler.

“Hunger isn’t seasonal, so while we love to support organizations like this usually around the holidays, it’s really any time of year. It’s just so important to support those that are hungry or in need," Specht added.

An assist from the community, plus those blocks from the Bucks, add up to a winning combination.

Hunger Task Force officials report 35,000 people visit food pantries in Milwaukee County every single month, and the child poverty rate in the county is one-in-four. The Hunger Task Force helps proved more than 50,000 meals each month at soup kitchens and homeless shelters throughout the area.