By Megan Marshall via spectrumnews1.com

Communities across Waukesha County are seeing an increase in food insecurity. This is why a local nonprofit and an organic food company paired up to feed those in need.

“Pre-pandemic our numbers were about 11,000 that are 18 and under that would have qualified for blessings programs and now that number is 15,000 and it’s growing by the day,” Waukesha County Blessings in a Backpack director, Nancy Major says.

Blessings in a Backpack serves 27 different schools throughout Waukesha County, feeding kids each week who are in need.

“We are currently serving about 2,200 kids a week, every single week. It is amazing when you think about that levels of poverty in our area that we just don’t think about,” Major says.

With a growing need, Natures Path, and organic food company in Sussex decided to give back. Teams of employees worked to fill 2,000 bags with healthy foods for kids in need. Those meals will be given to local kids for Thanksgiving.

“It really warms our heart that we produce food that goes to someone who really needs it. We are blessed in so many ways and some people aren’t. To be able to provide them with something they might not otherwise have means a tremendous amount to all of us,” Nature’s Path Foods, Elizabeth Dolinky says.

Their employees spent portions of their workday stocking bags with organic food items such as granola bars and oatmeal for the kids to eat. Those bags will then be sent out to kids all across Waukesha County.