CELEBRATION OF GIVING: Meverden, Onesti keep Wittenberg fed

(Editor’s Note: The Shawano Area Community Foundation, in conjunction with NEW Media, has staged a Celebration of Giving Volunteer of the Year promotion for more than 10 years. Each year, select area volunteers are presented $1,000 cash grants for their efforts to improve the quality of life in the Wolf River Region. The awards, sponsored by area businesses, are then reinvested back into area nonprofit organizations at the direction of the award winners. This is the second in a series profiling outstanding volunteers in the community.)

Tammy Meverden and Jenny Onesti came together in the Wittenberg-Birnamwood area due to marrying two cousins, and, today, try to share a similar love via their Wittenberg Food Pantry.

The co-managers of the organization were selected as the recipients of the Wittenberg Community Service Award given out this year by the Shawano Area Community Foundation. Every year, the foundation recognizes five outstanding volunteers for the work they do, and friend Pam Hegewald of sponsor Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats argued for their selection in a February nomination email. In-laws Onesti and Meverden said they feel pretty special and warm as a result and, while they are on solid ground now, it was not easy at the start back in 2008.

“The biggest thing when we started was we were working from our homes,” Meverden said. “We were hauling a trailer to the community center, and we would use this as a distribution spot. We set up there, tore down, and went back and forth for five years before we came to the realization we were not getting any younger and cannot do all the rest of this for very long.”

From this point, the pantry has jumped over to its space at 704 S. Webb St. in the community and serves anyone living within the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District. Those in need can receive items like canned fruit and vegetables, dried pasta, canned meat, peanut butter, jelly, shampoo, and vouchers for items like milk, bread, and eggs.

Over the years, food bank use has increased nationally due to economic issues like inflation, and, while such things can burn out those volunteering in the space — last year, a food bank in Washington had to raise salaries for its paid employees due to high turnover — Onesti added she and Meverden go on due to faith and friends.

“Prayer and asking … if you ask community businesses for support, they are there for us,” Onesti said. “That’s what gets me through it. The community support has always been there.”

In the future, what will be done differently in the space where Meverden and Onesti are supported by about 30 regular volunteers is not certain. They do say now they are serving more seniors than younger residents, and, as part of their current honor, they have received a $1,000 prize. It is going back into the food pantry itself, and, whatever someone may be going through, no one is down forever and Meverden has seen people get up and out of some very tough spots, and, while they may not meet their goal of never being needed, they are happy to be a bit smaller.

“There have been some clients who have been with us and been with us,” she said. “All of a sudden they decide to go into school and go and get an education in something so they can be a little more self-reliant. We’ve had a few people like that and wow, that is something awesome. We are very supportive … if we can just quietly help people in the background, that is OK.”

Information about the Wittenberg Food Pantry can be found on its Facebook page or by emailing wittenbergfoodpantry@gmail.com or calling 715-326-3110 as well. Distribution days are the third Wednesday of every month from 5-6 p.m. and the following Thursday from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Those who apply for service need residency proof and photo identification. Donations are always welcome and can be given anonymously. The next dates for distribution are May 17 and May 18.