FORK to distribute Farmers to Families Food Boxes in St. Germain

This Friday, Oct. 16, from noon until 5 p.m., there will be a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers to Families Food Box distribution at the St. Germain Town Park pavilion, located at 7853 Lost Lake Drive N. in St. Germain.

USDA is partnering with farmers, ranchers, specialty crop producers, food processors and distributors, and nonprofit organizations to ensure that all Americans have access to the fresh and wholesome food they need during the COVID-19 national emergency.

“We received the ‘Food Box’ offer Monday morning, asking if Vilas County was interested in receiving 1,200 boxes of food,” said Sherri Congleton, director of the Vilas County office of Emergency Management. “This project presented itself as a big challenge with a short turnaround time so we reached out to Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) to discuss community need in general and project logistics in specific.”

“FORK is excited about the chance to play a role in bringing this type of help to local families,” said FORK President Perry Pokrandt. “The boxes that FORK will help distribute will be filled with fresh items direct from U.S. farms to Vilas County tables. If any of this food reaches our local children, FORK will see this as a huge win in our mission to provide nutritional support to children,” continued Pokrandt.

Individuals who plan to receive one of the 1,200 30-pound boxes of food should enter the St. Germain Community Center parking lot coming off of Highway 155 from the east. The food distribution will be in front of the pavilion. Individuals should remain in their vehicle and open their trunk. One of the volunteers will place the box in the trunk. Individuals will then exit the pavilion parking lot onto Highway 70 and travel either west or east.

“Everyone is eligible and welcome to come to the St. Germain Town Park this Friday afternoon and claim one of the 1,200 boxes of free food,” continued Congleton. “These will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.”

For questions regarding the food distribution, call Congleton at the Vilas County office of Emergency Management at (715) 479-3690.