Phelps-Land O’ Lakes Lions Club partners with FORK to ‘Stick it to Hunger’

The Phelps-Land O’ Lakes Lions Club will be partnering with Feed Our Rural Kids (FORK) in an effort to combat food insecurity in the North Woods as a part of their “Stick It to Hunger” campaign.

Part of providing aid to local families experiencing food insecurity involves spreading information on services the program offers, which can be an expensive and time-consuming endeavor for the volunteer organization. This is where partnering with local organizations, stepping up to offer their services to FORK, comes in.

In 2022, FORK collaborated with the Vilas and Oneida County Departments of Human Services to create FORK’s Family Food Helpline — a toll-free, confidential source of information related to free and reduced-cost food support programming in the area.

The goal, both then and now, is to help Vilas and Oneida County residents struggling with food insecurity find the nutritional support they need.

“The greatest challenge for the helpline will always be finding creative and cost-effective ways to keep 888-479-FORK (3675) ‘top-of-mind’ with area residents,” explained FORK President Perry Pokrandt. “To date, FORK has funded television, radio, newspaper, and Facebook ads to do just that, and it’s working! But the cost of this type of advertising over the long run is overwhelming, despite our media partners’ generous in-kind support.”

It was from FORK’s long-range focus on message efficiency that “Stick It to Hunger” was created.

“Cost-effective communication is essential,” explained Vilas County Human Services Director Valorie Wielhouwer. “Our hope is that we can create a network of local partners across both counties, who will help us to place Family Food Helpline stickers on bathroom mirrors in area businesses, schools, government buildings, and other public buildings.”

The idea is to place the sticker onto thousands of bathrooms across the two counties that, in the years to come, will have reached all area residents before they may need help.

“We are excited to announce one of those local partnerships is in place, with the Phelps-Land O’ Lakes Lions Club already offering their support,” said Stick It to Hunger Chairperson Lynn Kenning. “Community groups, like the Lions, are the heart of our communities and this partnership with groups like the Phelps-Land O’ Lakes Lions will be the key to this effort’s success in the future.”

Helpline stickers will begin being placed in Phelps and Land O’ Lakes starting in February.

“No one really knows which of our friends, family members, or neighbors is experiencing food insecurity,” said Lions representative Brian Blank. “By placing these informational stickers around our community, we will be providing necessary information to those in need. Help is just a call away.”

FORK is inviting local businesses in the area to be part of the Stick It to Hunger initiative. Any businesses located in Vilas or Oneida County can call project Chairperson Lynn Kenning at 312-543-1801

FORK will be coordinating the regional effort of community partners to ensure an organized and efficient effort, Pokrandt added.

“If you represent an organization in Vilas or Oneida County and are interested in learning more, or helping out, please reach out to Stick It at info@feedourruralkids.org.,” he said.

“We cannot do this alone,” concluded Kenning. “Join us in this effort to ‘Stick It to Hunger” in 2025.”