Four mobile food distributions set this week for La Crosse, West Salem

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — The Channel One Regional Food Bank of Rochester, Minn., will distribute food at four mobile sites this week in La Crosse and West Salem.
The times and places for the free food distributions are:

• Thursday — 2-4 p.m. at the Gundersen Hotel and Suites at 1520 Clinic Court in La Crosse, across the street from Gundersen Health System’s main campus
• Friday — 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Heider Center at 405 E. Hamlin St. in West Salem
• Saturday — 10 a.m.-noon at the WAFER Food Pantry at 403 Causeway Blvd. in La Crosse
• Saturday — 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Anytime Fitness at 1500 W. Hwy. 16 in West Salem.

These are TEFAP-eligible events where food will be available to anyone earning 300 percent or less of federal guidelines. No pre-registration or proof of income is required, and participants may attend all of the mobile pantries.
Boxes to be distributed will contain shelf-stable groceries and frozen food, such as meat or protein and bakery items. Those who attend do not have to get out of their cars to obtain the healthy food options.
Volunteers will place boxes of food in the trunks or backseats of participants’ vehicles.
More than 12,000 individuals in La Crosse County are facing food insecurity as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Feeding America, of which Channel One is a member.
Feeding America projections show that these people trying to cope with food insecurity don’t have reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food to live a healthy lifestyle.

Channel One serves people experiencing hunger in 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin through a network of 183 food shelves, pantries and programs. Initially established to feed seniors in Olmsted County, Minn., in 1980, Channel One has grown to the largest food relief organization in the region.

Feeding America is a national network of 200 food banks across the country, which gives the organization access to  millions of pounds of surplus food and grocery donations that it collects, stores and distributes to those in need.

Channel One and its partners, including WAFER, urge anyone facing hunger to visit the mobile pantries.
Anyone who would like to volunteer for the events or would like more information about food access in the La Crosse area is encouraged to contact WAFER at (608) 782-6003 or Channel One at (507) 287-2350.

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