KENOSHA — A big act of kindness in Kenosha’s Uptown neighborhood, where volunteers handed out 400 family kits filled with food, fresh produce, daily essentials and bottled water.
The event was organized by Niagara Bottling, Feed the Children, the ELCA Outreach Center, and the Disaster Response Team. Each kit was designed to support a family of four, reaching more than 1,600 residents.
Watch: Kenosha volunteers unite to feed hundreds of families
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 14% of Kenosha residents live below the poverty line, and organizers say rising costs of food, housing and energy are leaving many struggling to make ends meet.
“This is my childhood neighborhood, and in Kenosha, we have a lot of food deserts,” said Sonya Rangel with the Disaster Response Team. “It’s really hard to get an event this size or a significant amount of resources into these food deserts so it’s super special to have this event. It’s an honor to bring something like this right here, and families are so grateful.”
Elvia Strutzel with Niagara Bottling says community outreach is part of their mission:
“This is where we live, where we work, where our kids go to school, so it’s important for us to give back," Strutzel said.
Mary Zorn with the ELCA Outreach Center called the event “a first for them,” adding that the need for support is growing across Kenosha.
"Food for 400 families, that’s just amazing because there’s such need in our area and that need just seems to be increasing, so we’re really happy that we could be part of this," said Zorn. "I know that not everybody can serve in different ways, but if you can, I hope that you do because there is a need."
Organizers say they hope to host more large-scale distributions like this one in the future, continuing to fight hunger and bring hope, one kit at a time.
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