PRESCOTT — Through noticeable increases in visits and demand for food, challenges with food sourcing, reductions in donations and decreasing volunteers, food pantries in the state of Wisconsin are doing what they can to continue to provide food for individuals and families who may not have another way.

The Prescott Area Food Pantry located at 911 Pearl St. has faced some of the same struggles, but a government grant has brought new ways to fundraise. Through grant funding helping to put together a restaurant-quality kitchen, the pantry now sells lunches Monday-Friday each week from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. for $7 for anyone interested. The meals include a main dish, side, fruit/vegetables and a drink. Purchasing a meal is a way for the pantry to help keep the shelves stocked for the pantry’s participants.

The program started July 8, and the food pantry’s eligible participants can also enjoy the meal for $4.50.

Pantry Director Pete French said there are people in the Prescott community who have made major donations to help the pantry, and they are extremely thankful for that, but they cannot return to the same donation source countless times to meet expenses. This is why the grant funding is so crucial, providing another way to fundraise without outright donations.

“The restaurant itself is set up to help our,” French said. “But in order to help our, I have to raise funds.”

Under the grant, the gathering space cannot be used as a community room, but it can be used to welcome people in for fundraising events, which French intends to use to their advantage.

“So it’s strictly fundraising,” French said. “I’m going to have Euchre tournaments, I’m going to have meat raffles, I’m going to have BINGO, I’m going to have lunches. I have Lucille’s downtown, they’re going to have a $50 a plate dinner benefitting the food pantry. They’re going to bring up their chefs, they’re going to bring up all their servers, they’re going to put linen on my tables, rearrange the thing and have a dinner.”

The pantry hosts BINGO on some Wednesday evenings including upcoming dates of July 24, Aug. 7 and 21, Sept. 11 and 25 and Oct. 9 and 23. The early bird session starts at 5:30 p.m. and the main session starts at 6 p.m. All proceeds benefit the pantry and the kitchen. Meals and snacks vary by the day and will be for sale.

French said if there is a way to fundraise that the pantry thinks could see success, they will put in all their effort to make it happen.

In addition to the programs and events at the pantry, there is a garden growing fresh produce that is being used for the pantry and for meals from the kitchen.

The pantry hosts the Pierce County Health Department, who provides services such as flu shot vaccinations for seniors and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) comes in on a monthly basis, whose services include measuring heights and weights of infants for mothers in need. The pantry also distributes baby products.

“We don’t have a clinic here in town, so that is super important,” French said.

According to the 2024 Western Wisconsin Food Pantry Survey that heard from 23 food pantry managers in the area, 78% reported an increase in client visits and demand for food, 57% reported food sourcing and supply chain challenges, 35% reported a reduction in donations and 13% reported decreased volunteer capacity. The results of the survey showed some foods are not always available in food banks, including meat being often or always available 25% of the time and dairy at 12%. The impact of reduced USDA commodity foods led to reports of increases to food costs and decreases to the amount of food available and the variety.

French said the last census showed over 150 families totaling over 500 people in the Prescott School District area meet the criteria to be a participant in the food pantry’s services. While French said they might not all come into the pantry for a variety of reasons, they are all welcome.

With the survey results showing a decrease in both donations and volunteering, French said anyone looking to get involved should come into the pantry for a tour and information to find where they feel they would be best utilized.

“If they wanted to volunteer, take a look. Let’s take a tour around the place,” French said. “I have so many opportunities here. I’ve got, like I said, the gardens, I’ve got the BINGO, I’ve got the pantry, I’ve got the kitchen.”

For French, who has been a part of the pantry for 25 years, volunteering at the pantry serves as both a way to benefit the community and to socialize with its members. At 72-years-old, French runs the pantry because it is what he wants to do.

“This is kind of like home to me,” French said. “It makes me feel good to help somebody, and that’s why I’m doing it.”

French said after all that time, people still say they did not know there was a food pantry in Prescott.

For lunch menus, event dates and more, visit the Prescott Area Food Pantry’s Facebook page. For information on how to donate, volunteer, if you qualify to participate and more, visit prescottfoodpantry.org.