2010 Events                                                      

8th Annual Community Gardens Bike Tour

July 24, 2010

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Join Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, CAC and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin on a gardener led tour of four of Madison's community gardens. This year we're starting at 9:00 AM at East High Youth Farm (Lamplighter Way, off of Milwaukee Street, behind Kennedy School and Park) and riding to Glendale School Gardens and Monona United Methodist Church Community and Food Pantry Garden and ending at noon at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church (5700 Pheasant Hill Road, Monona), where lunch will be provided. To download a flyer click here.

 For further information contact Nicole Craig at 246-4730, ext. 208.

National Association of Letter Carriers - Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive - May 8, 2010
Dane County's 2010 total collect is 198,587 lbs! This equates to 158,870 meals.  Special thanks to Pat Nee and all the mail carriers from NALC Capital City Merged Branch 507; the U.S. Postal Service, Ann McNeary from United Way, Two Men and a Truck, Oakleaf Properties, the Post Office Credit Union, and all the wonderful volunteers who came out to make the drive a success!

Russ Darrow Group Food Drive
Head to Russ Darrow Chevrolet, 3502 Lanchester Drive or Russ Darrow Kia, 6509 Odana Road, to check out the latest models and bring a nonperishable food item for the food donation bin.  All donations go to local area food pantries.

                                                   2009 Past Events                                            

Thanksgiving Basket Program
CAC distributed 3,500 Thanksgiving baskets in partnership with United Way 2-1-1 and 19 food pantries in the Dane County Food Pantry Network.  

Thanksgiving on the Mayflower
CAC is teaming up with 94.9 WOLX for Thanksgiving on the Mayflower !  Our goal is to collect over 20,000 lbs of food - enough to fill a Mayflower truck.  94.9 will be broadcasting from the Meriter Home Health Store parking lot, (2180 West Beltline) from November 9 -13., 2009  Area schools have a change to compete for up to $1,000 - the top three schools with the highest poundage of food win! All donations go to local area food pantries. For more information and how you can help, listen to 94.9 or email Chris Brockel, or call at 608-246-4730 x 206.  This is event is sponsored by QBE, Meriter Home Health, and Mayflower Transit LLC.

The Red & White Hunger Fight
Join the largest food drive in UW history!  You can contribute and make a difference in our community this Thanksgiving!  Campus groups such as athletes, Greeks, Homecoming, student organizations, and individuals will all be pitching in to make this a campus wide success.

Food will be collected from October 8-29, 2009.  On November 10th all food will be complied, sorted, packed, and delivered to CAC.  You can help by collecting food or by volunteering on the sorting day.

7th Annual Community Gardens Bike Tour

August 29, 2009

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Join Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, CAC and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin on a gardener led tour of four of Madison's community gardens. This year we're starting at Hammersley Community Gardens (next to Falk Elementary School at 6120 Hammersley Road) and riding to Prairie Hills Community Garden, Meadowood Community Gardens, and ending at Orchard Ridge Community Gardens, where lunch will be provided.

If you relish a longer ride, meet us at 8:00 am at Stella's Bakery (corner of W. Mifflin and Carroll at the farmers' market) and we will make our way to Hammersley Community Gardens via the Southwest commuter bike trail. For further information contact Nicole Craig at 246-4730, ext. 208.

Hanger Dance

July 25, 2009

Wisconsin Aviation, 3606 Corben Court

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

All food and beverage proceeds will go to support programming at CAC.

Dust off your fedoras and get ready to Swing!  Re-live the 1940s by attending the Hanger Dance featuring big band music performed by Ladies Must Swing, a jazz band consisting of 18 energetic dames. Dance steps a little rusty? There will be group dance lessons available at 6:30 PM.

Tickets are $15.00 and can be purchased in advance at Drums-n-Moore, 6033 Monona Drive, or by contacting ladiesmustswing@yahoo.com.  Tickets will also be available the night of the event. For more information see the The Madison Verve calendar.

This event is sponsored by: Mallat Pharmacy and Costume; Wisconsin Aviation; Social Life Dance Center; Fusion Dance Academy; and Cousins Subs.

                                                    2008 Year in Review                                          

Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat!
Sponsored by Youth Resource Network, Dane County Youth Board and CAC. For more information email Chris Brockel, or call at (608) 246-4730 x206.

Thanksgiving Basket Program
CAC will distribute 3,000 Thanksgiving baskets are we are partnered with United Way 2-1-1 and 17 foods pantries in the Dane County Food Pantry Network. For more information email Chris Brockel, or call at (608) 246-4730 x206.

Target Hunger: Feed the Need 
Present- Early January
CAC, along with SW Cap, are raising funds and awareness to support local venison donation. We are seeking to bridge the gap between a local renewable resource and the hungry families in our region.  Our goal this year is to raise a collective $140,000 to process and delivery over 2,000 donated deer to local food pantries and shelters. For more information email Chris Brockel, or call at 246-4730 x206.

The Frequency  Fundraiser
August 23, 2008
Thank you to Carmella Weiss for putting together a fantastic fundraising event that brought in $795 in donations to support food pantries. Thank you to The Frequency for hosting the event and to all of the bands who rocked out: Ladybeard, White Light Riot, Apparently Nothing, and Hula & the Ooh La Las.

                                                    2007 Year in Review                                          

Thanksgiving on the Mayflower
November 12 - 16, 2007
Thank you to General Casualty, Meriter Home Health Store, Mayflower Trucking and WOLX  who collected over 13,000 pounds of food for CAC.

CROP Walk / Bike / Hike / Rock for Hunger
October 14, 2007
CROP (Communities Responding To Overcome Poverty) is an interfaith, community-wide event that raises money to assist local and global hunger programs. For more information, click on this link: CROP Walk 2007

The Stephanie Miller Show
May 19, 2007
Thank you to 92.1 The MIC for arranging donations to CAC in exchange for tickets to the Stephanie Miller Show. Over $3,000 was donated at the event.



The National Association of Letter Carriers' Food Drive
Saturday, May 12, 2007

16th Annual Food Share Day
May 1, 2007
We would like to thank the 30 restaurants who donated at least 10% of their total proceeds on May 1st to benefit CAC and its Thanksgiving Food Basket Program. Food Share Day raised $4,500. This money will enable CAC to purchase the ingredients for 214 Thanksgiving food baskets which will be distributed to hungry families in Dane County at no cost.

Feinstein Foundation’s $1 Million Giveaway to Fight Hunger
March 1 - April 30, 2007
When you donate food or money to CAC’s Food & Gardens Division, the Feinstein Foundation will acknowledge your donation by sending a contribution to CAC. Last year, our first year in the challenge, we were awarded the second highest grant amount in Wisconsin. For more information, click on this link: $1 Million Giveaway.

Scouting for Food
April 21, 2007
Conducted by the Glaciers Edge Council of Boy Scouts of America. Last year over 25,000 pounds of food were donated to CAC.

Golde's Futon Warehouse Offers 5% Discount
Golde's (6701 Seybold Rd.) has started an ongoing ad-campaign on 92.1 The Mic that will benefit the CAC Food Program. Anyone coming in to the store and mentioning 92.1 The Mic will get a 5% discount, which will be donated to CAC.

Food Drives at East and West Towne Malls
January 8 - 28, 2007
Together the two malls collected 1,132lbs. of food (906 meals) for Community Action Coalition!

                                                    2006 Year in Review                                          

Thanksgiving Turkey Baskets
2700 food baskets were distributed to area families this year. Co-coordinated by CAC and United Way 2-1-1.
 

Trick or Treat So Others Can Eat
October 23 - November 3, 2006
Youth groups throughout Dane County collected food this fall.
Co-Sponsored by CAC and Girl Neighborhood Power.

CROP Walk / Bike / Hike / Rock for Hunger
October 8, 2006
This Church World Service event raised nearly $18,000 to benefit Dane County Food Pantries in 2005. 


Thank you to the Madison Area Star Yamaha Riders Motorcycle Club for their donation of 4 semi-loads of food and personal care items from Feed the Children valued at $200,000. Funds for this donation were raised through their hosting of a Midwest Motorcycle Rally this past summer. 
 

The Stephanie Miller Show
May 19, 2006
Thank you to 92.1 The MIC for arranging donations to CAC in exchange for tickets to the Stephanie Miller Show. $3000 and a ton of food was donated at the event.

The National Association of Letter Carriers' Food Drive
May 13, 2006
CAC wishes to thank the Capitol City Merged Branch 507 of the National Association of Letter Carriers for conduction this annual food drive to benefit CAC. This year the group secured 95,000 pounds of food which far exceeded last year's total of 65,000 pounds. CAC also  wishes to thank those who donated food.

15th Annual Food Share Day 
May 2, 2006
CAC wishes to thank the 32 participating restaurants who donated over $5,600 to fight hunger in Dane County.

Thank you to Madison Area Credit Unions for their generous donation to remodel the food warehouse in CAC's Madison office.

Thanks to the Feinstein Foundation, CAC was able to provide a matching grant for every food and monetary donation between March 1 and April 30, 2006!

Savory Sundays
April 15, 2006
Thank you to Savory Sundays to the 41 artists who donated their work for the silent auction on behalf of CAC. The event raised $1,508.

Scouting for Food
April 8, 2006
Thank you to the Glacier's Edge Council of Boy Scouts of America  for hosting this annual food drive to benefit CAC. Over 25,000 pounds of food was donated. CAC also wishes to thank those who donated food.

CAC Gleaners is proud to collaborate with Rock and Wrap It Up, a national clearinghouse for touring musical acts to connect with local anti-hunger programs.


 

East Towne & West Towne Malls Community Food Drive
January 12-22, 2006
Thank you to everyone who helped coordinate this effort and to shoppers who donated food to area families in need. Read more about the food drive in the Isthmus and at WKOWTV.
 

Food Pantries Do Work
Wisconsin State Journal :: OPINION :: A8
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
CHRIS BROCKEL

While I agree with your Saturday guest columnist, Norman C. Granvold, that there may be more humane ways to address hunger than through food pantries, I disagree with his assertion that shelters and pantries are "costly, ineffective, rampant with abuse and top-heavy with bureaucracies and exorbitant executive and management salaries."

He further charges that pantries do not distribute nutritional foods. To let these charges stand would be a grave disservice to the hundreds of volunteers and professionals who spend their time working to alleviate hunger, and could lead to the public perception that anti-hunger organizations do not need and are undeserving of support.

In his call for abandoning the current system, Granvold seeks change that realistically is not going to happen. Anyone familiar with the current direction of the federal budget and the continued removal of the social safety net knows this. In fact, food stamps, which work as a grocery debit card, are proposed to be cut in the latest House budget resolution.

We must understand that the utopian society Granvold seeks is still far away. We cannot abandon the current system but must work to ensure the best level of services we can offer.

Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, which coordinates the Dane County Food Pantry Network and delivers food to Dane, Jefferson and Waukesha County agencies, looks nothing like the inefficient bureaucratic behemoth Granvold describes:

In 2004, the coalition delivered, at no cost to the agencies, nearly 2.5 million pounds of food. This food came from the federal government, community food drives, donations and purchasing.

Through the coalition's Gleaners program, more than 1 million pounds of fresh and prepared perishable food, most destined for landfills, was collected and distributed throughout Dane County. This includes fruit and vegetables from local wholesalers, grocery stores and farmers.

Every Saturday during the market season, the coalition collects nearly a ton of donated items from vendors at the Dane County Farmer's Market.

The feeding agencies we supply look similar to our coalition. Some have paid staff, but the vast majority are operated by volunteers. These pantries are not in makeshift spaces. Some of the larger pantries are in high quality facilities either standing alone or as part of a larger center.

Churches with pantries have gone out of their way to provide the best possible space. As coordinators of the food pantry network, our coalition provides technical assistance, education and helps agencies communicate.

The coalition monitors all member organizations for safe food handling, accessibility and civil rights compliance.

The Community Action Coalition does none of this without the help and support of volunteers, vendors, agencies and partners, including United Way and Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin.

I urge you to look at and consider Granvold's detailed proposal for change. But also educate yourself about the current system and support it.

Brockel is coordinator of Food Security Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin Inc.