MILWAUKEE — In 2021, the Kinship Community Food Center in Milwaukee distributed more than 290,000 pounds of food to community members.

It’s working now more than ever to address hunger in the city. It was formerly called the Riverwest Food Pantry. Staff like Natalie Ross said it’s a new name but the same heart. 

“We found that food is an entry point to this community to really growing with one another,” said Ross. 

Its website said the fresh approach is a dynamic response to the community’s desire for deeper kinship, greater wellness programming, and expanded support to advocate for housing and employment stability. 

Ross said the goal is for volunteers to see themselves in kinship with the shoppers through giving and receiving.

Volunteers like Dennis Farrell said spending time giving back to the community has been a fulfilling experience. 

“I was recently retired and looking for productive ways to spend my time,” Farrell said. “This sounded like a great idea and it has been.” 

Staff also said the relationships that happen around food have the power to transform lives as individuals and as a community. 

“It’s a real bonus to be able to meet people, talk to people, get to know people who come back every week and get to know their names,” said Farrell. 

Staff said by sharing healthy food, they get to nourish bodies and also nourish one another’s souls. They said that’s what kinship is all about. 

To learn more about the Kinship Community Food Center, visit https://www.kinshipmke.org/.