The Jefferson Food Pantry (Wisconsin) serves our Jefferson School District neighbors who are in need of food. If a neighbor is struggling to put food on the table, our community food pantry is here to help. It is our mission to make it easy to receive the food our neighbors need.
The Jefferson Food Pantry proudly provides guests with the opportunity to choose the grocery items that their household will most enjoy. We provide a wide variety of fresh produce, dairy, meat, bakery, and shelf stable groceries, along with a limited selection of hygiene, household, self-care, and baby items.
ELIGILBILITY
- Must live within the Jefferson School District, which can be viewed here.
- Guests will be asked to self certify their income eligibility.
- TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program), which makes up 2-3% of our products offered, requires guests to self-certify income eligibility as follows: TEFAP Income Guidelines.
- CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program aka Senior Stockboxes) Stockboxes are distributed to those who meet the following income guidelines: CSFP Income Eligibility.
WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU
- We are required to request an ID and proof of residency. Examples include: Driver’s License, utility bill, lease agreement, school district documentation, etc. We default to feeding people first.
- We suggest that guests come with an empty trunk to allow plenty of space for all of your groceries.
- If guests have reusable cloth grocery bags, we encourage guests to bring them for a sustainable pantry experience.
WHERE AND WHEN
- We are located at 164 W. Garland Street in Jefferson, Wisconsin.
- We are open Mondays and Thursdays from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Guests are asked to register prior to 3:45 pm to ensure they have time to shop.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARRIVE
- Guests are asked to park in our parking lot or abide by safe city street parking regulations.
- Each guest representing a household is asked to present an ID/proof of Jefferson School District address, and to complete a simple intake form with their First and Last Name, Address, Number of People in the Household, and whether they choose to identify as a Senior Citizen.
- Bilingual Forms are available to assist our English as a Second Language guests.
- In the order each guest arrives, they will be called to the entryway by a volunteer host. Guests will have up to 12 minutes to “shop” the pantry and select the grocery items, within their available limits, that their household will most enjoy.
- Guests must arrive 15 minutes before pantry closing to secure their service. Guests who arrive after this time will be offered emergency shelf stable food items and will be encouraged to visit during the next open service window.
- Guests can expect to depart with up to 20 pounds of food per household member.
SENIOR STOCKBOXES AND DELIVERY PILOT
In partnership with Community Action Coalition, the Jefferson Community Foundation, and DoorDash, the Jefferson Food Pantry is excited to offer a senior food delivery program called Stockbox DoorDash. The program provides income-eligible seniors aged 60 and over with an opportunity to receive home delivery of a FREE Stockbox each month. Learn more about Stockbox.
Stockbox DoorDash is a pilot program with capacity to serve up to 50 eligible seniors each month. The Jefferson Food Pantry is testing the viability of a home-delivery option for the Stockbox to ensure all eligible seniors have access to healthy, shelf-stable foods they need. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many seniors no longer feel safe or do not have access to pick-up locations or senior dining sites they previously relied upon. Stockbox DoorDash aims to connect vulnerable seniors with additional food each month.
The Stockbox includes cereal, milk, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta or rice, protein, fruit juice, canned meat and a block of Wisconsin government cheese. Homebound seniors, or those who are unable to go to a food pantry/distribution to pick up a Stockbox, are eligible to apply for the program.
Learn more about and register for the the Stockbox DoorDash pilot here.