Waukesha Church Donating Thousands of Pounds of Food for Needy Families

Editor's note: The following information was provided to Patch via a news release.

True Life Church (TLC) has partnered with Feeding America to donate 20,000 pound of food a month to Waukesha families in need, according to TLC Administrative Pastor Jerry Simmons.

The “WaukeshaFood Connection” kickoff event will be Friday, Aug. 30,from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Family Video 139 E. Broadway in Waukesha.

Families and individuals with limited or low income, senior citizens on fixed incomes and disadvantaged people in need, can get free, fresh perishable and non-perishable food items each month, over the next 12 months with a valid state ID or driver’s license.

“We’ve always had a food pantry in the church, but when the opportunity presented itself to partner with Feeding America and take a mobile pantry to the streets,to a much larger scale, it became our mission to get involved,” Michael Hook, pastor of TLC, said.

329,400 people, including 105,400 children and 32,900 seniors each year are at risk for hunger in Eastern Wisconsin, according to a 2010 hunger study by Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. 54 percent of adults missed or cutback on meals because they did not have enough money to buy food. 34 percent had to choose between buying food and paying rent or mortgage.

Volunteers over the next year will be needed to help TLC Waukesha Food Connection set-up, pass out food and clean up. Sponsors and support from the community will also be needed to help make the events as successful as possible.

“Just like Jesus fed many with just a few loaves of bread and some fish, we have a tremendous opportunity to follow in those footsteps and give back to the community of Waukesha,” Hook said.

Anyone willing to help the TLC Waukesha Food Connection can call 262-542-7538 to sign up or go to www.truelifechurch.com for info on upcoming dates and locations. To find out more information on Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and how you can help make a difference, go to www.feedingamericawi.org

True Life Church is located at 1615 Silvernail Rd. in Waukesha. Services are Sundays at 10 a.m., 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.