Marking 22 years of providing food to hungry people

1986-2008

History Timeline

1984    A few local business people start meeting regularly over breakfast at

           Howard Johnson's to discuss food bank concept.

           The concept of a food bank to serve agencies in Dane County is

           presented at the Warehouse Study Committee Meeting, formed by

           Salvation Army President Keith Meyer.

           By July, the first board meeting is held. Officers for Southern Wisconsin

           Regional Foodbank, Inc. were elected: Bob Forbess, president; Kay

           Anderson, vice president; Kent Carnell, secretary; and Reuben Lorenz,

           treasurer.

           Southern Wisconsin Regional Foodbank, Inc. – eventually renamed

           Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin - is incorporated as

           a charitable organization.

1986    A warehouse opens at 919 Stewart St. in Madison. In the first week,

           emergency food assistance programs picked up 2,000 pounds of food

           (compared to 20,000 pounds per day by 2006).

           Oscar Mayer donates a surplus refrigerated truck – the food bank's first.

           By the end of the year, $102,700 in cash and pledges had been raised to

           support the food bank and 293,915 pounds of food had been distributed

           to 98 agencies in 8 counties.

1988    We become a United Way participating agency.

1990    Our name changes to Southern Wisconsin Foodbank, Inc.

1991    We distribute over one million meals in one year.

1994    Our name changes to Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin.

           William T. Graham donates land in the World Dairy Center valued at

           $193,500 for a new food bank facility.

1995    The building of a new facility is made possible with generous Capital

           Campaign contributions from the community.  A groundbreaking is held

           for the new 25,000 square-foot office/warehouse on Dairy Drive.

1996    Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin begins operations at its

           new warehouse at our current location, 2802 Dairy Drive in Madison.

           1.5 million pounds of food is distributed to over 150 member agencies.

           We affiliate with America's Second Harvest – The Nation's Food Bank

           Network.

           In partnership with Mike McKinney and NBC15, Share Your Holidays is

           established to feed those who are hungry during the holiday season. 

           The event raises 46,000 meals in one day, becoming the largest food

           drive in southern Wisconsin. 

1998    The Food Fund is created to increase distribution of food to charitable

           food providers facing financial constraints.

           Second Harvest volunteers are the recipients of the JCPenney Golden

           Rule award.

1999    Direct Delivery is implemented to provide additional food to charitable

           food providers in seven outlying counties.

           Second Harvest, in partnership with UW Extension and Nutrition Education

           Program, opens the first Kids Cafe at Nehemiah Development Corporation. 

           The program serves 25 children a meal three days a week.

2000    A new truck, purchased with generous grants from Oscar Mayer Foods,

           The Cremer Foundation, and The Beloit Foundation, offers adequate cargo

           space and ensures safe handling of dry, refrigerated, and frozen food items

           during Direct Delivery and Drop Site runs.

           We distribute over 200,000 pounds per month – that's 2.5 million pounds

           this year to nearly 230 agencies with over 330 programs. 

           Our volunteers donate an average of 800 hours per month.

2001    Bob Mohelnitzky is welcomed as our new Executive Director.

2002    Our Direct Delivery program adds three more drop sites convenient for

           agency pick-ups.

2004    Build a Future to End Hunger Capital Campaign is launched to raise

           funds for a crucial warehouse expansion to keep up with our growing

           distribution level.

           Our first Mobile Pantry is held at Lincoln School in Madison.

2005    Nearly 4 million pounds of food is distributed to over 340 hunger relief

           programs.

           Second Harvest's newest program to fight childhood hunger – the BackPack

           program - is started in the Evansville School District in partnership with the

           Community Action Aware program.

           Volunteer hours average 1,000 – 1,200 per month.

           America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network, with

           which we are an independent affiliate, commemorates its 25th

           anniversary.

2006    Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin marks its 20th anniversary.

           A second BackPack program is added in the Tomah School District.

           We acquire more than five million pounds of food to distribute to our hungry

           neighbors.

2007    Our Build and Future To End Hunger warehouse expansion campaign is

           completed.  In September, construction ended and our warehouse and

           office space more than doubled in size.

           We are able to acquire more than 6.5 million pounds of food for distribution

           to over 400 programs in our partnership network.