COPYRIGHT 2026 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
LA CROSSE (WKBT) — A state grant program could help food assistance organizations in Wisconsin purchase more locally grown food for families facing hunger.
The state is making $5 million available through its Food Security and Wisconsin Products Grant Program. The funding is intended to help nonprofit food assistance organizations purchase Wisconsin-grown products while also supporting farmers and producers across the state.
For the Hunger Task Force of La Crosse, the funding could provide critical help as demand grows and donations decline.
“Actually, the Hunger Task Force is seeing decreased donations and increased people who need them, so being able to have this funding available to purchase extra foods like dairy and meat,” says Shelly Fortner, executive director of the Hunger Task Force of La Crosse.
Organizations that receive grants can use the money to buy food directly from Wisconsin farmers and producers.
Fortner says that could be especially meaningful in the La Crosse area, where many local producers could benefit from additional purchases.
“Being in a farming community, La Crosse has a lot of local producers and farmers that we can work with. Being able to buy them from Wisconsin producers is just a win-win,” Fortner says.
The program is designed to help food assistance organizations provide more healthy food options to the people they serve, without adding to families’ grocery costs.
“These are items that we really need to keep getting so that we can distribute to people in need in our area. It’s healthy food. It’s good for their bodies,” Fortner says.
Nonprofit food assistance organizations have until October 1 to apply for the funding.
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
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