Grant Stories

Pictured are Ruth’s Pantry Board Members Paula Nyback and Debra Groff

At Ruth’s Pantry, Mondays are marked by a flurry of activity with at least six to seven volunteers diligently gather food and supplies for families in need. The pantry, a ministry of Grace Lutheran Church of Winchester, is accessible to the community on Mondays from 9-11 a.m. and 4-5 p.m. During these distribution hours, there is a continuous flow of visitors, with individuals from the Winneconne School District and nearby counties who are seeking assistance.

The pantry is run by a dedicated group of volunteers, including one student from Neenah High School and another from Winneconne High School. The volunteers manage a partnership with Feeding America of Eastern Wisconsin to obtain food for the pantry and then purchase additional food to fill in the gaps.

A glimpse of the back stock room at Ruth’s Pantry

A challenge the pantry is currently facing is the increase in demand and the rising costs of food. In January, 125 households were served at the pantry which included 210 adults and 125 children. Paula Nyback, a longtime volunteer for the pantry shared, “From 2022 to 2023, we had 300 more families and 780 more patrons – a total of 1076 families.” She also shared that the week before Christmas is typically their busiest time, serving 140 patrons in one day. Their food costs have also gone up over 2.5 times. In 2020, close to $5,500 was spent and in 2023 over $14,000.

The Winneconne Area Community Foundation supported Ruth’s Pantry with a grant from the Winneconne Basic Needs Fund. Grant funds are being used to help stock the food pantry. For more information on Ruth’s Pantry and how to get involved, visit their Facebook page.