Stories

21 Apr

Not just a carrot, it's confidence

Client Stories • Collaborations • Food Pantry • Utility Assistance • Housing Assistance

When Carol unexpectedly lost her job, MOM helped her pay her utility bills and provided her with some monetary assistance to pay rent and avoid eviction. Carol was also able to bring home carrots, cheese and cereal from MOM's food pantry to feed her family during that stressful time. After a year of unemployment, Carol now has a full-time, managerial position in Madison at a biotech company that pays well and enables her to once again feel confident about herself and her future.

21 Apr

Not just a radish, it's resilience

Client Stories • Collaborations • Food Pantry

Josiah had struggled with mental illness all his life, making maintaining work difficult. Without family in the area, he didn’t have much of a support network. When Josiah came to MOM, he had reached an all-time low. He was out of food, medication—and hope. At MOM, Josiah filled his grocery cart with food. With radishes in his fridge and peanut butter on his shelves, Josiah was able to re-ignite his natural resilience and plot a path out of the dark place he had found himself in.

21 Apr

Not just peas, it's promise

Client Stories • Collaborations • Food Pantry Garden

Heather has fond memories of gardening with her mother as a little girl—particularly of the fabulous, fresh veggies she got to eat when their work was drawing to a close. Recently, Heather decided to take advantage of MOM’s Food Pantry Gardens to recreate the gardening experience for her sons. The gardens helped the family enjoy freshly grown peas and other healthy vegetables to eat. It also offered them the promise of community and a path to a better life.

21 Apr

Not just an avocado, it's advocacy

Client Stories • Collaborations • Food Pantry • Housing Assistance

A single mother of two children, Brenda was working at a full-time job with benefits when she moved into her apartment. She had a Section 8 voucher to help pay for her housing, and she felt like she was on the road to stability. But when her daycare plans fell through, she missed several days of work—and lost her job. She soon fell behind on rent. When her apartment management started the eviction process, Brenda was scared. She didn’t know where to turn. Then she found out about MOM. MOM helped her spaghetti, avocados, school supplies for her kids--and an advocate to help negotiate with her landlord.

23 Mar

United Nations Report Highlights Extreme Poverty in the US

Poverty Facts

This past December, Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur, spent two weeks observing extreme poverty in the US. His visit comes as drastic shifts in US poverty policy are taking place because of cuts in welfare programs and changes in tax laws. Dr. Alston concludes: “The United States is one of the world’s richest, most powerful and technologically innovative countries; but neither its wealth nor its power nor its technology is being harnessed to address the situation in which 40 million people continue to live in poverty.”

14 Mar

MOM's Housing Programs Intervene Before Evictions Strike

Housing Assistance • Client Stories

MOM's Stable Housing program is designed to assist vulnerable families, helping them to proactively plan for future financial hardships before they receive an eviction notice and to offer additional assistance to households already facing eviction. In addition to financial grants, MOM's Stable Housing Program provides employment and budget counseling; referrals; advocacy, landlord negotiation, and rent reconciliation plans. Your support helps MOM’s Stable Housing programs prevent eviction and keep families and their children secure in their homes.

14 Mar

Future Foam Makes an Impact in Our Community

Businesses • Volunteers • Food Pantry • Canstruction

In 2014, a manager from Future Foam, a producer of high-quality materials for homes ranging from premium carpet cushions to mattress toppers and pillows, met with MOM staff and explained that the leadership of Future Foam wanted to promote volunteerism among its workforce and was anxious to get involved in volunteering at MOM. Since that meeting, Future Foam has demonstrated this commitment by being a consistent supporter of MOM.

14 Mar

Volunteer Highlight: Gail Krc

Volunteers • Food Pantry • Clothing Center

Gail Krc has volunteered regularly at MOM since 2011, accumulating an amazing 1,700 volunteer hours in that time. As a volunteer, Gail has filled a number of different roles. In fact, here at MOM, we think there’s nothing she can’t do!

13 Mar

New Project Brings Fresh Produce to MOM Clients

Collaborations • Food Pantry Garden

In partnership with Fairshare CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Coalition, and funded in part by the Endres Foundation, MOM will pilot a unique CSA project this growing season. Our combined efforts will allow us to serve 25 MOM clients weekly throughout the growing season with fresh, healthy, CSA produce at no cost to them. This unique model not only allows MOM to increase distribution of healthy, nutritious produce, it also supports our local farmers. We hope to expand this model in future years

13 Mar

Kids Support Mom Too!

Youth & Families • Food Drives

It warms our hearts to see the many ways area children give back to the community by supporting MOM. Food drives, lemonade stands, birthday donations in lieu of gifts—we are honored to be the recipient of the generous support of so many children.