Vernon Food Enterprise Center: Focusing on Food and Wellness
The Vernon County region in western Wisconsin is home to many small and midsize farms and food processors that had little access to the broader marketplace. The region also lacked a place to expand food processing, marketing and distribution or to make locally grown food surpluses available to families, schools, health care organizations, food pantries and meal sites.
Farm Table Foundation: Bringing Food From Farm to Table
Creating an organization that seeks to educate people about soil health and about the benefits of locally grown food can be a challenge—especially if that organization is in Amery. This small community in northwest Wisconsin has a population of less than 3,000 people. Compounding the situation for the founders of the Farm Table Foundation was the difficulty of hiring and retaining staff, and then the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community First Washburn County: Mobilizing to Keep Residents Healthy
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, a statewide lockdown in March and April forced non-essential businesses to close, putting employees out of work and creating financial hardship for many of the nearly 16,000 residents of Washburn County in northwest Wisconsin. Businesses needed support, families needed food and residents needed to know they were not alone.
UW Population Health Institute: Improving Rural Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a higher toll on residents of rural Wisconsin, following years of reduced health services for those regions. The Community Resilience and Response Task Force was formed in a collaboration among the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, UW-Extension and the Wisconsin Governor’s Office. The task force collects and analyzes data, identifies gaps in policy and service and recommends ways to create equitable health care options for rural residents.
Door County Emergency Support Coalition: Help for the Homebound
When the COVID-19 pandemic left many people isolated at home, the Door County Fire Chiefs Association joined forces with local organizations to make sure that residents and guests were able to receive the information and non-emergency services they needed. The goal was to serve as a clearinghouse to answer questions, handle requests for help and connect people with sources of assistance. Nearly 30% of Door County residents are over age 65, a group considered among the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus.
