More than 500 households received groceries on Wednesday alone

During its Thanksgiving grocery distribution last week, The River Food Pantry served more people in a single week than ever before.

MADISON, Wis. — November 25, 2024 — The week before Thanksgiving, The River Food Pantry served the most people in its 18-year history: 1,558 households made up of 3,808 individuals. This marked a 19% increase from the pantry’s previous record number of households served in a single week.

“The need has been overwhelming, and we are doing everything we can to ensure that everyone has the resources they need for a Thanksgiving meal,” shared Rhonda Adams, Executive Director of The River, which typically serves just over 3,000 people per week. “The support of our donors, volunteers, and community partners has been invaluable as we work to meet this unprecedented demand.”

While distributing Thanksgiving groceries last week, The River also broke daily records two days in a row by serving 467 households on Tuesday and 507 households on Wednesday. This surge in demand highlights the growing challenges many families are facing due to rising food costs, inflation, and economic instability.

“We’ve seen so many families, some who have never needed assistance before, utilizing our services,” Adams said. “Our goal is to ensure that everyone in our community can celebrate Thanksgiving and the December holidays with groceries and meals. We are so grateful for the generosity of our community members who are helping to make this possible.”

To support the increased demand, The River has been encouraging individuals and organizations to donate nonperishable items, volunteer, and give to their HOPE (Help Other People Eat) Holiday Food Drive to provide holiday groceries and meals throughout November and December. With more than 50 tons of groceries and 3,114 meals distributed last week alone, the pantry is working hard to ensure that everyone receives delicious, nutritious food that makes the season bright.

“The support we’ve received has been incredible, but we have not yet met our HOPE fundraising goal to be able to provide holiday meals and groceries to everyone who visits us,” Adams said. “With the holidays just around the corner, we encourage everyone who is able to donate or volunteer. The need is still great, and together we can ensure no one goes hungry this time of year.”

This week, The River is prepared to serve high numbers again during its distribution of prepared Thanksgiving to-go meals Monday through Wednesday. The pantry is located at 2201 Darwin Road, Madison, WI 53704. Individuals in need of assistance are encouraged to visit during the hours listed at riverfoodpantry.org/hours.

For more information on how to donate, volunteer, or support the pantry during this critical time, please visit riverfoodpantry.org or contact info@riverfoodpantry.org.

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About The River Food Pantry
The River is South Central Wisconsin’s busiest food pantry. Services include free groceries and freshly prepared meals for pickup or delivery, online grocery orders, mobile meals, and after-hours food lockers. The River also redistributes rescued food and resources to local partners to increase access while minimizing waste. Since 2006, The River has grown to serve over 3,000 people every week in pursuit of its vision: a fully nourished community. Learn more at riverfoodpantry.org.

Media Contact
Becca Bolton
Communications Manager
The River Food Pantry
becca@riverfoodpantry.org