OSHKOSH – The Oshkosh Area Community Pantry is seeking more community partnerships in the wake of federal cuts.
Executive Director Ryan Rasmussen made the plea, saying the cancellation of the Local Food Purchase Cooperative Agreement Program resulted in the loss of around $120,000 worth of produce.
“Of course, we will always continue to operate with the partnerships we have, but the level at which we feed the community may look different depending on the donations we get going forward,” Rasmussen told the Northwestern.
“I have full faith in our community because they’ve always rallied, so I am certainly hopeful new donations will come our way.”
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The Trump administration cut two federal food programs that provided $1 billion of funding under the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
OACP is just one of more than 50,000 entities, including schools and other food banks, severely impacted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture ending two federal food programs in March that allotted around $1 billion in funding.
It’s estimated the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement provided about $420 million — funding that food banks like OACP use to buy fresh produce from local farmers to feed their guests.
Rasmussen said Oshkosh farmers already had allotted “plants in the ground” for OACP prior to the termination of the program, resulting in what he estimates to be the loss of an entire summer crop of food.
“Access to healthy food shouldn’t be a luxury, it’s a basic need,” Rasmussen wrote in a recent news release. “Programs like LFPA helped us build strong connections between local farms and food assistance organizations.”
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OASP assists more than 2,800 families monthly at its 2551 Jackson St. location.
Volunteers Michelle Diener, left, and Sue Schmid sort and organize boxes of produce Monday, Oct. 4, 2021, at the Oshkosh Area Community Pantry in Oshkosh.
According to Rasmussen, the loss of federal funding comes at a time when OACP assists more than 2,800 families a month — a record high for the Oshkosh food bank.
It’s also a number Rasmussen doesn’t see “coming down any time soon.”
OASP has received a measure of relief in the form of $60,000 worth of donations from Olden Organics, Winnebago County, Women Who Care Greater Oshkosh, Oshkosh Area Community Foundation and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
Rasmussen is also asking for more community members to assist OACP’s efforts by donating, volunteering and supporting local farmers.
“Fresh, local food is not only better for our health, but it also strengthens our local economy and builds community resilience,” Olden Organics wrote in a news release.
“We’re proud to continue working alongside OACP to make a difference right here in our region.”
OACP is open for guest shopping at the St. Vincent de Paul building, 2551 Jackson St., from 2 to 6 p.m. Mondays and 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh Area Community Pantry impacted by federal cuts, seeks partners