Local pantries and programs address food insecurity as demand grows by over 100%

According to Feeding America , 617,790 people are facing hunger in Wisconsin, and 204,750 of them are children. Local pantries and food assistance programs help combat food insecurity, but the community need remains immense — demand at Dane County food pantries has increased 112% in the last two years .

Local pantry leaders say "community support has been a critical part of how pantries have met the need," according to a release from The River Food Pantry earlier this year.

To bring awareness to a few of the operations breaking barriers to food access in Madison, here are seven local pantries and programs, all of which have opportunities to help support their missions.

Bayview Community Center

Bayview Community Center, 103 La Mariposa Lane, invites anyone to shop at its food pantry. Visits are limited to once per a week. The week at the pantry spans from Wednesday to Wednesday , meaning if you shop on a Monday, you are welcome back on Wednesday of that same week.

Bayview’s Pantry is open Mondays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays noon to 8 p.m., Thursdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Fridays 8:30 a.m. to noon. The pantry accepts food, household essentials and paper bag donations. Click here to volunteer .

The Beacon

Located at 615 E. Washington Ave., The Beacon provides shelter and assistance to those experiencing homelessness. In addition to providing a light breakfast, coffee and a daily lunch, The Beacon has private showers and restrooms, laundry services, daily storage and more available for free.

At The Beacon, individuals can obtain referrals for mental health counseling and to case managers. Housing and job assistance are also available.

The Beacon is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Click here to find out ways to give , including giving financial gifts, donating care items or volunteering.

Extended Hands Pantry

Anyone from Dane County is welcome to shop at Extended Hands Pantry on 6402 Schroeder Road, operated out of Lighthouse Church. The pantry is open every Monday and Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The pantry is open the last Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

In addition to the food pantry, Extended Hands also helps provide tutoring for children in low income neighborhoods. You can partner with this pantry, volunteer your time or even host your own food drive — click here for more details .

The Keep Food Pantry

Open Thurdays 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., The Keep Food Pantry, located at Lutheran Memorial Church oat 1021 University Ave., provides access to healthy and nutritious foods for members of the campus community. Students, faculty and staff of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Edgewood College and Madison College are invited to shop at the food pantry once per week. Visitors will be asked to show academic identification.

The Keep Food Pantry receives most of its food from donations and from Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin . Learn more about volunteering opportunities here .

Luke House Community Meal Program

The Community Meal Program, 310 S. Ingersoll St., serves free meals nine times a week to community members in need. The meals are provided, prepared and served by volunteers from Madison-area churches.

At Luke House, the volunteers sit and eat with the guests to provide a sense of community for those who use the service. You can donate to the program online or find out about volunteering opportunities by emailing contact.us@lukehousemadison.org .

Neighborhood House Community Center

Located at 29 S. Mills St., the Neighborhood House Community Center’s food pantry is open three days a week and available to everyone. No ID is required to shop, though users are asked to fill out a short intake form upon the first visit. Visits are limited to once per a week.

The indoor pantry is open Tuesdays 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the indoor pantry is open from noon to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Neighborhood House also has an outdoor pantry some days to allow for quick and easy access, allowing for anonymity and minimal social engagement. Find out more about Neighborhood House's volunteer opportunities by clicking here .

The River Food Pantry

The River Food Pantry, 2201 Darwin Road, serves over 2,500 people weekly, providing Madison-area community members with free groceries and freshly prepared meals for pickup or delivery, online grocery orders, mobile meals and after-hours food lockers. In 2023, The River served 17,079 unique individuals throughout Dane County a total of 276,395 times.

There are several opportunities to volunteer as an individual or a group, as well as other ways to support the pantry , including donating money, food items or partnering with the pantry as a sponsor.

Anna Kleiber is an editorial intern at Madison Magazine.

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