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Milwaukee food pantry needs donations
A Milwaukee food pantry said donations are needed as community demand increases. Kinship Community Food Center said it has seen a 40% increase.
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee food pantry said donations are needed as community demand increases.
Keeping food on the table is Robin Cardine's way of paying it forward. The single mother gets a helping hand from Kinship Community Food Center to ensure her shelves are stocked and food is served at home.
"I get as much as I give," she said. "It's helped me out where I don't have to spend cash on groceries."
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Cardine said it is helpful, especially during tough times. Over the past year, Kinship Community Food Center said it has seen a 40% increase in the families it serves – and a shortage of donations.
"A lot of times when the volunteers are stocking shelves in the back there's just a noticeable lack of amount," said Amanda Fahrendorf, an associate at the food center.
Sherman Park Grocery offers community relief through partnership
The owner of Sherman Park Grocery said collaborations like Saturday's with Americans for Prosperity can offer relief from prices and limited options.
Fahrendorf said the food pantry is scrambling to provide resources for those in need.
"We have been shifting money that we spend to focus on spending for food to make sure we have our shelves filled," she said. "We just increased our spending about 134% in the last year."
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Another challenge is happening inside the food center, where there is a lack of variety of canned fruits, cooking oil and hygiene products like shampoo and soap.
While the current donations have helped them stay afloat, the center said more is needed to keep the pantry running and help families like Cardine's.
"It's kind of hard keep up with everything," said Cardine.