Madison, WI, December 12, 2025 – Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin is piloting an innovative new way to provide families facing hunger in southwestern Wisconsin with the critical resources they need to access nutritious food from local retailers. The program is called Harvest Wallet.
As part of the Harvest Wallet pilot, Second Harvest will distribute $200 in digital funds to 100 families with school-aged children identified by the Mauston and Ithaca School Districts to purchase groceries. With many students depending on school breakfasts and lunches when school is in session, the pilot is timed to support families during the district’s upcoming winter break. The digital funds can be used at local retailers such as Walmart, Kroger-affiliated grocery stores, and Dollar General to purchase the foods their families prefer, at a time that is convenient for them.
Identification of the Harvest Wallet digital platform and the funds for the program’s pilot were made possible through a grant from the Alliant Energy Foundation. The purpose of the grant was for Second Harvest and its peer food bank, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, to research payment technologies, assess their feasibility of use for consumers and implement innovative approaches to address food insecurity, with an emphasis on rural communities.
“We’re proud to be part of the Harvest Wallet program,” said Andy Kitslaar, executive director of the Alliant Energy Foundation. “We’ve worked with Second Harvest to address food insecurity in our community for many years. Partnerships like this align well with our dedication to supporting projects that help families thrive and encourage communities to innovate.”
“We’re always looking for dignified ways to provide resources that are designed to increase access to the food families need to thrive,” said Michelle Orge, Second Harvest president and executive director. “Thanks to the generosity of the Alliant Energy Foundation, we were able to develop this innovative new program for addressing food insecurity in our community. Food should never be a source of uncertainty. The Harvest Wallet program will provide vital support and ease some of the challenges many of our neighbors are facing.”
