Collaboration helps Hunger Task Force combat hunger
It is a community issue that affects a staggering number of people—the senior couple who lives next door, the young children in the neighborhood playdate, the family waiting in line at the grocery store. In one of the world’s wealthiest countries, more than 11.8% of American households struggle to get enough food to eat each day. In Milwaukee, hunger is not an issue confined to the margins. With 18.3% of people struggling to secure enough food, hunger affects a shocking number of children, families, and seniors that live below the federal poverty line. Research indicates that good health is inextricably linked to proper nutrition.
When two local organizations like Hunger Task Force and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield unite, we can make a profound impact in addressing the correlation between food insecurity and overall health in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas. Our ongoing partnership in the community underscores a fundamental truth: the fight against hunger requires collective action and unwavering dedication.
With the help from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Hunger Task Force operates the Mobile Market, a grocery store on wheels, traveling throughout Milwaukee County to visit neighborhoods and communities that have limited access to fresh and healthy foods or that may reside in food deserts. Residents would otherwise be reliant on public transit or family members to reach the grocery store often making access to healthy and fresh produce difficult. The Mobile Market is stocked with a range of nutritious foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, milk (both dairy and non-dairy options), chicken, beef, pork, deli meat, and more. Anthem representatives are also on-hand to provide crucial healthcare information, education, outreach and support services to address the whole health of individuals, families and communities.
We truly believe that food is medicine, and that consistent access to nutritious food is an essential part of maintaining health. As two organizations that have long championed better access to nutritious foods in the communities we serve, our focus continues to be on programs that demonstrate improved health outcomes for individuals with chronic conditions and that create greater access to healthy and nutritious food by improving affordable, healthy food options among food-insecure populations. Through this partnership, the Hunger Task Force continues to serve the community and advocate for anti-hunger policies at all levels, aiming to root out hunger once and for all from our communities.
David Ashmore, Ted Osthelder, Paul Nobile, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin