South Milwaukee Human Concerns logo
With the holidays rapidly approaching, resources for community members in need are more necessary than ever. One of these resources, South Milwaukee Human Concerns (SMHC), is committed to bringing help the South Milwaukee community all year round, but especially this holiday season. At any given time, South Milwaukee Human Concerns is serving one-third of the community, 275 families monthly, and over 8,500 people per year. Debra DeBoer, executive director of SMHC, is committed to bringing aid to anyone who might need it.
SMHC provides services that include a food-pantry, clothing, school supplies, a Christmas gift program for children, and more. To get involved with the organizations work, donate, volunteer, or learn more, visit the SMHC website.
DeBoer has spent much of her life giving back to the community she was raised in. “I have been director for eight years. This is my 20th year with the organization. I have always been a giver. I decided to go full-time and start directing,” says DeBoer. “I am born and raised in South Milwaukee. My children all went to South Milwaukee High School. We’ve been in South Milwaukee a long, long time. I have a long history with South Milwaukee, and I enjoy Milwaukee. I think it’s a great place to raise children and to work and live.”
Healthy Foods Year Round
One major factor in helping SMHC receive the resources they need to serve the community is their partnership with Hunger Task Force. Hunger Task Force works with the organization to provide 50-55% of the food in the food pantry. “We could not do what we do without Hunger Task Force,” says DeBoer.
“The Hunger Task Force is committed to making sure that great partners like South Milwaukee Human Concerns have access to healthy foods throughout the year including the holidays. We’re really proud of our partnership with them,” says Matt King, chief executive Officer of Hunger Task Force. “I care a lot about this community and having the opportunity to use the skills that I’ve developed to serve my community and to help some of the most vulnerable people improve in public health in Milwaukee is very meaningful to me.”
Part of what makes this work so rewarding for DeBoer is her personal journey with community resources. “I think with our mission statement, part of our mission is that help is hope, and that goes for everybody. I’ve been in a tough situation, I went through a bad divorce, I raised two little kids while working three jobs, so I’ve been on the receiving end. And now I am able to do what people did for me,” says DeBoer. “I do understand how hard it can get.”
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This holiday season, both DeBoer and King hope to see people give back to the community so everyone has the right to feel comfortable, safe, and cared for. “Christmas is right around the corner,” says DeBoer. “We do Christmas for around 800 children.”
“The important part of the Hunger Task Force mission is having access to healthy food obtained with dignity. We commit to making sure that the experience that a local family or local senior has when they go to find help in their time of need is compassionate and dignified,” says King. “When you go to a food pantry, when you go to SMHC, you’ll find fresh produce. You’ll find locally sourced healthy foods. We really take our value of dignity seriously.”
DeBoer finds joy in giving back to her community. “I get to see it everyday. I see people come in at their lowest, I see people that come in that are maybe just struggling for that month, sometimes I see people that are homeless. I experience how happy somebody can get from even something really small, like fresh produce,” says DeBoer. “Some people might not have that option unless they come by me. They can’t always afford to buy that. I really have the best job in the world.”
SMHC serves anyone in the 53172 area code, as well as anyone outside the area for one-time emergency help. For more information, as well as an interactive map to find your nearest food pantry and volunteer opportunities, visit hungertaskforce.org.
