Pasta Drive, Signed Taylor Swift Guitar and more!

Your Top FIVE to THRIVE

April 2024

#1 Lottsa Pasta Drive to Benefit Area Food Pantries

Our Lottsa Pasta drive kicked off Monday, April 1 and we’re hoping to collect as much as we can by May 1. All pasta collected will benefit local food pantries and nonprofits in Marathon County.

We’ve also teamed up with 26 local businesses for this project! Those businesses currently have donation areas set up at the workplace giving their employees the opportunity to help. On May 2, United Way staff will drive our Marathon County Hunger Coalition truck to the businesses and collect the pasta.

Remote worker? We’ve got that covered too. Check out our Amazon pasta wish list. Shipping is free for Prime members, and it can be shipped directly to our office.

Community members can drop off donations at our office located at 705 S. 24th Ave, Ste 400B, Wausau, WI 54401 or at Festival Foods in Wausau and Express Market by Festival Foods in Weston.

Watch Now

#2 Power of the Purse NEWS - Live Auction Features Taylor Swift Signed Guitar

Calling all Swifties! The Power of the Purse live auction will feature a signed Taylor Swift acoustic guitar.

Get your tickets today for a chance to win!

The guitar is approximately 38 inches in length and has been hand-signed on a CD cover that was repurposed as a pickguard and applied to a real acoustic guitar. It is intended to be used as a collectible and display guitar.

For more information on the guitar, the Golden Raffle ticket, and the June 6 Power of the Purse tickets click here.

Early bird registration ends April 30!

Learn More

#3 Community Closet Gets Upgrade, Volunteers Help with Seasonal Switchover

It’s not uncommon to have tired and sore arms after spending time volunteering in our Community Closet. The same goes for shoppers.

When the closet opened to the public in July 2023, it quickly became evident that some of the clothing racks in the adult section were too tall and almost out of reach for some guests and completely out of reach for others.

That’s where the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation comes in. The Community Closet was awarded a $4,000 grant to purchase new clothing racks as well as shoe racks.

The week of March 25, local businesses and community members helped to assemble the new racks and make the seasonal switch from winter to spring and summer styles.

We are so grateful to have such a dedicated, caring and compassionate community to help us reach our bold goal to lift 10,000 community members to financial stability by 2033.

#4 Farm to Family Produce Program Continues to GROW

The Farm to Family produce boxes will once again be doubled this season, from 100 boxes per week to 200.

The Marathon County Hunger Coalition is investing $96,000 into the program in 2024. Boxes are filled with various produce items and then distributed to food pantries and nonprofits in the community.

The coalition has a partnership with Cattail Organics and Red Door Family Farms - the farms plan, grow, and harvest organic produce. The coalition purchases it, then it is taken to The Neighbors' Place where volunteers assemble the boxes. Next, the coalition distributes the boxes. This happens once a week through November.

Individuals look forward to receiving the boxes as one way to offset expenses and enjoy the taste of farm-fresh food.

The program started in 2020 with 50 boxes per week and continues to grow.

#5 See You at the Chamber Business Expo!

Stop by our booth at the Chamber Business Expo April 18!

Experience firsthand the work we do by choosing a volunteer project for yourself, your workplace, or a group of friends.

Learn more about our initiatives like the Community Closet and Mobile Closet, the Mobile Food Pantry and how to get involved in helping us to lift community members to financial stability.

Check out what our Marathon County Hunger Coalition has planned for the summer season and participate in unique volunteering opportunities that will directly impact the community.

We are all UNITING TO THRIVE.

Calendar of Events

Save the Date

Visit our Website