New refrigerated truck fuels WAFER Food Pantry's mission
LA CROSSE, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – WAFER Food Pantry's mission is to provide food and work to eliminate hunger. Their goal is to provide nutritious and well-rounded food options. That is why they are thrilled to announce the acquisition of a new refrigerated truck to their fleet, furthering the mission to care for our friends and neighbors.
The new refrigerated truck will enable the safe transport of perishable items, such as those donated by generous retail partners through the 'Retail Recovery' program. (Retail partners can be found on the WAFER website) Food recovery is a significant aspect of WAFER's operations, accounting for nearly 1.5 million pounds recovered annually. WAFER seeks to provide fresh, nutritious food to individuals and families. 'This acquisition, made possible through generous support, underscores our collective commitment to addressing food insecurity in our region and providing balanced, nutritious meals to our community', said Erin Waldhart, Executive Director for WAFER Food Pantry.
WAFER made a special note to thank its supporters for committing to advance the mission to fight hunger right here at home. Supporters like;
Otto Bremer Trust
ALM Charities
Gundersen Health System/Emplify
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Three donor-advised funds at La Crosse Area Community Foundation (The Robert and Eleanor Franke Fund, George and Virginia Schneider Family Fund, and Guenther-Froegel Family Fund)
The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection 'Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure' equipment grant.
WAFER is La Crosse County's largest food pantry, serving the greater La Crosse area. Each month WAFER provides food packages to 1500 families or 3600 individuals, intended to provide 4-5 days' worth of food per person. Last year, WAFER collected and distributed 1.9 million pounds (equivalent to 1.6 million meals) through in-house and outreach programming such as senior package delivery, weekend backpacks for rural students, and Mobile Pantry services.
For more information and to find out how you can volunteer, visit the WAFER website.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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