Madison, WI – December 17, 2025 – As many families prepare for the added expenses that come with winter break, Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin and Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin (CAC) are partnering to provide immediate food support to households with school-aged children. Through a generous grant from the Madison Community Foundation, 250 Dane County families will each receive $200 in Harvest Wallet funds this week to purchase groceries at participating local retailers.
The Harvest Wallet is Second Harvest’s new digital tool designed to help families facing hunger purchase grocery items with greater convenience and choice. Recipients access the funds through their cell phone and redeem them at checkout by scanning a barcode generated by the platform. The digital wallet can be used at major retailers, including Walmart, Kroger-affiliated stores, and Dollar General.
“When school meals pause for winter break, many families see a significant increase in grocery costs,” said Michelle Orge, Second Harvest President & Executive Director. “Meeting this need requires both innovation and collaboration. This partnership with CAC, made possible by support from the Madison Community Foundation, is a powerful example of what we can achieve together to address food insecurity in our community.”
For CAC, this initiative strengthens its broader work supporting families with young children through programs such as Early Childhood Zones, Reducing School Mobility, Food Security programs, and financial empowerment initiatives.
“The families we work with every day remind us that strong communities are built through partnership,” said Meghan Mietchen, CAC Executive Director. “By joining with Second Harvest on this effort, we’re helping parents stretch their budgets during a critical time while giving them the dignity of choosing the foods that work best for their households. Collaborative solutions like this are central to CAC’s mission and allow us to effectively serve our clients.”
About Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin
Since 1986, Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin has been working with hundreds of local agencies and partners across 16 counties. We are southwestern Wisconsin’s largest hunger-relief organization, distributing tens of millions of pounds of food each year. Through food acquisition and distribution, advocacy, community partnerships, and the support of thousands of volunteers, we are making our vision of ensuring everyone in our community has access to enough nutritious food to thrive a reality. For more information, visit SecondHarvestSW.org.
About Community Action Coalition (CAC)
Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin works to end poverty and help people live better lives. Serving Dane, Jefferson, and Waukesha counties, CAC empowers individuals and families through programs in housing, food security, and financial empowerment. For more information, please visit www.cacscw.org.
Media Contacts
Kris Tazelaar, kris.tazelaar@secondharvestsw.org, 608-216-7206
Meghan Mietchen, meghanm@cacscw.org
