You Can Help the Madison West High Area Food Collaborative

As the weeks progress and students are learning at home, many volunteers and school personnel have revamped the manner in which food is distributed to those in need. In the Crawford Marlborough Nakoma, CMNNA neighborhood, the food resources at Cherokee Heights Middle School and Thoreau Elementary School have been relocated to Westminster Presbyterian Church on Nakoma Road. Now called the Madison West High Area Food Collaborative, this site collects and distributes food boxes weekly.

Here is a snapshot of the work of this collaborative. 

• 12 schools in the Madison West High attendance area have joined the Collaborative
• 20+ staff members from every school work directly with families to identify needs and make sure there is enough food and support from our Collaborative for each family each week
• 30+ pounds of food delivered to each family each week
• 40 volunteers making deliveries every Wednesday (more than 100 different individuals have signed up through United Way since the Collaborative began)
• 130+ individuals and families have made donations to the Thoreau PTO for this effort
• 470 families received deliveries on Wednesday, April 29, 2020.
  

Agencies providing funding are the United Way, Westminster Presbyterian Mission Committee, a Presbyterian Synod grant, Nakoma League, private donations, and the Thoreau Elementary and Cherokee Heights Middle School PTOs. Much of the shelf stable food is purchased from either Second Harvest or River Food Pantries. To continue meeting the needs of the Collaborative, monetary donations are always welcome.

Local groups one can donate to are:

• the Cherokee Heights Middle School Food Pantry at www.cherokeeheightspto.org
• checks sent to Thoreau Elementary PTO at 822 Miami Pass, Madison, Wisconsin 53711,
• The United Way Coronavirus Response at https://www.unitedwaydanecounty.org.
• Gift cards to local grocery stores up to the amount of $50.00 can be sent to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4100 Nakoma Road, Madison, WI 53711 with Attention: Food Pantry noted on the envelope.

The Thoreau Elementary School Facebook page has several excellent and current videos to view relevant to the Collaborative. In the past, many CMNNA neighbors have been very generous during food drive pickups, or with donations. Please consider continuing this neighborly and caring gesture with a monetary contribution for those in need.