Image via The People's Table - Facebook
People's Table Rebrand Art (formerly Jim Luther New Hope Center)
The new logo of The People's Table
The food pantry previously known as Jim Luther New Hope Center, serving Milwaukee’s South Side, recently rebranded to People’s Table. For more than two decades, the community hub has been a crucial resource for food security for more than 6,000 Milwaukee families annually, with children comprising more than 40% of those served, distributing an estimated 500,000 pounds of food each year. The pantry at 1414 W Becher St. is open Tuesdays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 4 to 6 p.m.
As its website states, People's Table is guided by six core values: dignity, compassion, integrity, empowerment, gratitude and community. Jack Bolog, director of operations at People’s Table, comments on the name change, “We're still who we were before; our new name communicates our people-oriented culture, openness to collaboration, and, at our community, all have a seat at the table.”
With recent federal cuts to FoodShare benefits and Medicaid, state cuts to public education and closures of local grocery stores, many working-class neighborhoods face significant barriers to health, wellness and stability. As Bolog explains, poverty manifests in many different ways. “It can look like not having dinner for your family, frequent relocation due to unstable and predatory housing, lacking close familial and friendly ties, and the list goes on.”
He continues, “We at People’s Table focus on what’s in our control. We encourage people to show up at local organizations and community meetings, because when we act together, we can overcome obstacles.”
Food Collective Program
Photo via The People's Table
The People's Table - Location
The People's Table in Milwaukee
One way the organization does this is through its Food Collective Program, which organizes folks into groups to work together to get food to different neighborhoods while also meeting to discuss pertinent community issues. The program has a network of more than 100 resources for food recipients that includes partners specialized in financial literacy education, Foodshare, tenant rights and employment. People’s Table has two Food Collective sites and is adding two more in the next few months.
“The impact can be measured quantitatively, like pounds of food distributed or resources that people utilized, but the lasting change is qualitative,” Bolog affirms. “People emerge out of isolation, have an increased sense of control over their life, and a more compassionate mindset to our neighbors of different backgrounds.”
For the upcoming holiday season, People’s Table will be distributing festive food items like turkeys, hams and other fixings. Donations from community members are always welcome, as are new volunteers.
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