Gundersen Health System, Marine Credit Union donate to local schools

Donations made to help feed students during winter break

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — Two community businesses are helping kids stay fed over the upcoming holiday break.

On Friday Gundersen Health System donated a large amount of food to be shared with food pantries at La Crosse schools such as Hamilton Elementary. And Marine Credit Union presented a $1,500 check to the school district to help feed hungry students.

Gundersen’s donation started as a small food drive to help the 40 families in need. But word quickly spread and the donation grew substantially.

“It’s just overwhelming. Again, we thought it was going to be just a few box fulls in the back of my minivan and if you look out front, it’s minivan after minivan after minivan,” said Gundersen Health System Registered Dietitian Jennifer Larson.

“Shows what you can do when you come together as a group to do something for your community and for your neighborhood,” said Gundersen Health System Registered Dietitian Margie Ley.

In addition to these two food pantry donations several local companies are conducting winter clothing drives to help stock the schools’ clothes closets.