Marshfield Medical Center-River Region at Stevens Point donated $2,000 to Central Rivers Farmshed, a non-profit that partners with small farms and food businesses, to supplement the monthly Senior Stock Box program with fresh, local nutritious food.
The Senior Stock Box is a program of the Hunger Task Force, a free and local food bank based in West Milwaukee, that provides a monthly box of healthy food to low-income seniors free of charge. Boxes include staples like cereal, milk, canned veggies, fruit, meats, rice, fruit juice, and two pounds of fresh Wisconsin cheese. The Hunger Task Force partners with local agencies to coordinate the program. The Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Portage County, UW-Madison Division of Extension, FoodWise, Central Rivers Farmshed, Curbwise LLC bicycle delivery service, and the Stevens Point Housing Authority brought the program to the area in 2021.
Marshfield Clinic Health System joined the effort in April 2022 with funding to support the addition of local eggs, greens, and fresh and freshly frozen vegetables from Farmshed. More than 50 boxes are distributed monthly with five to 10 new recipients each month. Seniors unable to pick up a box at the ADRC of Portage County have boxes delivered by Curbwise LLC to an average of 16 people per month. In the first three months of adding fresh local food, the following were distributed:
- More than 240 pounds of fresh vegetables
- More than 150 pounds of freshly frozen vegetables
- Approximately 90 dozen local eggs
Early survey results show that the highlight of the Senior Stock Box program is the addition of local foods and participants report the fresh food is filling a significant gap in their diets.