Milwaukee's North Side residents are facing an increasingly difficult reality as more grocery stores close their doors, leaving families to travel farther for fresh, affordable food.
The USDA defines a food desert as a place where a third of the population lives more than a mile from affordable, fresh food. On Milwaukee's North Side, "food desert" isn't a buzzword; it's a weekly struggle as grocery stores close, and the gap gets wider.
"Oh, I hate it," said one North Side shopper who didn't want to share her name. "Now I have to go further out to do my shopping when I used to just run down the street."
The closures have been mounting. Two Pick 'n Save locations shut down in June, followed by an ALDI, and a Sentry Foods closed last month. Each closure forces families to travel farther for basic necessities.
"Real inconvenience for a lot of people," said Gene Dempsky. "Families or anybody, not just that, but especially the elderly person."
On Monday, the mayor rolled out a plan he says could help keep remaining stores open. The initiative would offer grants to help grocery stores cut operating costs, starting with assistance for major expenses like refrigeration and equipment.
Watch: Residents voice concerns as food desert crisis deepens; Mayor unveils plan to help remaining grocery stores
Maurice Wince of Sherman Grocery Store, one of the few fresh food options left in the area, says the cost savings could help keep his doors open and prevent prices from climbing higher.
"This cost savings on this end will help us pass the cost savings on to our customers as well," Wince said.
While some shoppers can make the longer drive to other stores, others cannot. The impact falls hardest on vulnerable populations.
"It's very bad, unfortunately, for the elderly and the disabled people don't look out for them like they should," another North Side shopper said.
For many families, the safety net right now isn't a store—it's the pop-up pantry. Farina Brooks of Dream Team United WI has seen the growing need firsthand.
"We already knew it was gonna get bad, and it's gonna get worse," Brooks said.
Her organization, along with the Missing Peace Center, is opening a new pantry later this month to address the increasing demand.
"Most of them are big families, anywhere from 5 and up, a lot of kids, these are the things that I wish somebody had done for me when I was coming up," Brooks said.
City leaders are looking to other cities for ways to keep grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods and have launched an interdepartmental task force to find solutions. Alderwoman Pratt and her team are also pushing legislation to require more notice before stores close, giving residents and the city time to plan.
To learn more about the Missing Peace Center and how you can help their mission, visit www.missingpeacemke.com.
To learn more about the Dream Team United and how you can help their mission, visit: www.dreamteamunited.org.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
