The FOOD Pantry Serving Waukesha County receives a 'generous gift' of $3.5 million from local couple
WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS58) -- Food pantries across the nation have been seeing increased demand as SNAP benefits ended at the beginning of the month. The FOOD Pantry Serving Waukesha County is getting a massive boost to fill that necessity, thanks to a $3.5 million donation from Dick and Karen Vaughn.
"People are struggling in our community," said Lyndsay Johnson, Executive Director at the Food Pantry Serving Waukesha County. Since 1978, the nonprofit has been helping those in need. "Food insecurity is a big issue, and it’s a growing issue for us" continued Johnson. She said their nonprofit aims to provide "food, hope, and dignity to county residents in need, and advocates to increase awareness of hunger through community partnerships."
In 2021, she estimates that about 45,000 individuals received help from their food pantry. That grew to around 109,000 last year. This year, amid SNAP benefits being cut, that number continues to soar.
The $3.5 million donated by Dick and Karen Vaughn is "an unbelievable gift," according to Johnson. $2.5 million will be dedicated to allowing the nonprofit to move into a bigger facility. She said their space currently "doesn't allow us to serve our clients with the dignity they deserve to serve them with. We’ve got a parking lot that’s not ideal, we have folks that have to wait in line in inclement weather." The other $1 million will be going into an endowment, which Johnson says will be particularly helpful because it will open a revenue stream when the economy is tough, even if donations aren't coming in at the speed needed.
That's where the Vaughns came in: "We didn't need it, and we felt there were people who needed it more than we did!" said Dick Vaughn. He and his wife, who started KDV Label in the 70s, have been helping the food pantry ever since then. It began with Thanksgiving, as the couple bought turkeys for their employees, donating additional turkeys to The FOOD Pantry Serving Waukesha County. "We just wanted to share some of what we had, and it was an easy way," added Karen.
"It allows us to change the trajectory of our organization. Their philanthropic support is incredible; we are so grateful for their generous gift and their willingness to be part of our story over the years. We couldn't be more thankful for the support." - Lyndsay Johnson
Karen and Dick hope that their donation will help their community for years to come. "We feel that Waukesha is a great place, and we’d like to see it continue to grow and people continue to be able to enjoy living here." Dick hopes their donation helps inspire other individuals and businesses to help as well.
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, The FOOD Pantry Serving Waukesha County is located at 1301 Sentry Dr., Waukesha. Donations and volunteers are always welcome, per Johnson.