Oshkosh Area Community Pantry reports surge in demand, urges local donations as SNAP delays loom

Ryan Rasmussen, a presenter with the Oshkosh Area Community Pantry, told the city’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee on Oct. 27 that the pantry is experiencing its busiest year on record and urged local monetary and food donations as federal policy changes threaten benefits for some families.

Rasmussen said Winnebago County’s estimated food-insecurity rate is 11.8 percent — about 20,240 residents — based on the Map the Meal Gap analysis, and that roughly one-third of county residents fall below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. “Nobody should have to go to bed feeling hungry,” Rasmussen said, describing the pantry’s mission to eliminate food insecurity through a dignified shopping model.

The pantry announced operational and service changes aimed at reducing barriers for guests. OACP moved from a points-based distribution model to a clearly labeled limit-based system so guests see how many of each item they may take; the store layout was redesigned to offer grocery-style sightlines and to place produce front-and-center. Rasmussen also said registration is barrier-free: there is no income verification requirement, and new guests receive a reusable pantry card and a one-time annual verification.

Rasmussen gave data on scale and recent trends. He said the pantry is on pace to distribute about 3,000,000 pounds of food this year and averages approximately 2,800 family shops per month, up from about 1,300 four years earlier. The pantry is registering roughly 100 new families a month. He noted the average weight of a family shop historically ran about 70–75 pounds but had fallen to about 53 pounds in September as demand increased.

On food sources, Rasmussen said about 70 percent of supply comes through Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin; a federal commodity program (TFAP) supplies roughly 7–8 percent; the remainder comes from donations and purchased product. He described several pantry programs: two hydroponic units that yield produce, a kid-friendly shopping area, a school pantry delivering fruit and granola bars (serving about 4,400 students weekly), a plastic recycling partnership that yields Trex benches, and a developing “Food for Health” section for specialty diets.

Rasmussen warned of near-term and structural funding risks. He said a federal shutdown was expected to cause a delay in SNAP (FoodShare) benefits beginning Nov. 1, and asked residents to use local pantries as a resource during that disruption. He also described HR 1, which he said would shift more onus for SNAP funding and program administration to states; Rasmussen cited Wisconsin’s SNAP error rate at about 4.5 percent versus a cited federal minimum standard of 6 percent. He said the elimination of the LFPA program earlier in the year removed a supply stream that had contributed roughly $120,000 in produce for the pantry this summer; community fundraising had recovered about $70,000 of that amount.

Rasmussen closed with practical requests: monetary donations to maximize purchasing power, food drives keyed to monthly needs lists on the pantry website, volunteer time (one hour a month to full-time), and garden donations through the “grow a row” program. He said signage and registration material in the store is now offered in English, Spanish, Swahili and Arabic to reflect guest needs.

Committee members asked about cultural and dietary accommodations, donation logistics and volunteer roles; Rasmussen described partnerships with ethnic markets and other local organizations to identify appropriate culturally preferred staples (noting staples such as rice and noodles rather than specialty spices), and he provided practical drop-off information and website links. The presentation concluded with committee members and attendees encouraging community support as demand rises.