Today’s the final Food Drive Friday, to help restock the area’s only food bank

Today’s the last day. The last of an amazing seven-week run thanks to the La Crosse community.

It’s the final Food Drive Friday to help restock the area’s only food bank between Rochester, Minn., and Madison.

The food drive, which takes place at three different locations (listed below), begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 1 p.m. Any money donated will be doubled thanks to Firefighters Credit Union. Money can be dropped off or donated on the Hunger Task Force site here.

Over the first six weeks of the drive, the La Crosse Community has helped keep nearly 100 food pantries, meal sites and youth programs going with over 60,000 pounds of food donations.

That food goes to the Hunger Task Force of La Crosse, which then gives it out to all those entities distributing food.

On top of the 30 tons of food, donations at the three drive-thru locations rung up to over $70,000. Adding online donations, and local business contributions, that total is now over $200,000.

While that’s going on beginning this morning, the Hunger Task Force is adding to its duties.

After the USDA announced a $3 billion effort to buy produce, meat and dairy products from farms across the US through the Farmers to Families Food Box program, La Crosse’s Hunger Task Force, in partnership with the Hunger Relief Federation of Wisconsin, will also become a distribution hub.

From 4-6 p.m. tonight, the organization will distribute food boxes at its Clinton Street warehouse. The Hunger Task Force will do that every Friday through the end of June. 

To participate in the final Food Drive Fridays drive-thru locations, here’s some information, otherwise go to the Hunger Task Force of La Crosse page and donate here.

The best things to donate are these five items: cereal, peanut butter, tuna, pasta, pasta sauce.

LOCATIONS

o Onalaska area: Valley View Mall parking lot (by former Macy’s location): 3800 Hwy 16,
La Crosse, WI (MAP)
o Downtown La Crosse: La Crosse County parking lot behind the Courthouse & Law
Enforcement Center: 333 Vine St, La Crosse, WI (MAP)
o South side La Crosse: Big Lots parking lot: 3960 Mormon Coulee Rd, La Crosse, WI (MAP)

NONPERISHABLE DONATION EXAMPLES:

Canned items needed include meats (tuna, chicken), peanut butter, soup, fruit; boxed side dishes (stuffing, rices, potatoes); breakfast items (cereal, oatmeal, etc); canned ravioli and Spaghetti O’s, pasta & pasta sauce.