Oct. 31, 2025
VIROQUA, Wis. (AP) — State Representative Tara Johnson (D – Town of Shelby) led an emergency food drive and press conference Friday at Living Faith Food Pantry, describing the urgent gathering as a “rapid response to dysfunction in Washington D.C.”
Representative Johnson, who serves the 96th Assembly District, criticized federal inaction which allowed FoodShare benefits for hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin residents to end at midnight on October 31st. She emphasized her motivation for holding the event.
“I am not interested in pointing fingers, placing blame, or talking partisan politics today at all.” Johnson insisted that federal elected officials must “get back to work” and address not only FoodShare benefits but also “the other issues connected to this shutdown.”
Johnson noted that $6 billion is available that the federal government could allocate to continue FoodShare benefits, but decision makers have failed to act.
Johnson said the termination of benefits impacts approximately 700,000 Wisconsinites, including almost a quarter million children. Specifically in Vernon County, where the event was held, 1,369 households, totaling 2,560 individuals, received FoodShare benefits in September. Of those households, 28% include minor children, 60% are elderly, blind, or disabled, and 32% are working individuals who still qualify for aid.
Local Pantries Detail Crisis and Existing Strain
Representative Johnson was joined by local food assistance leaders, who detailed the severe pressure community resources are currently under.
Hetti Brown, Executive Director of Couleecap, noted that the crisis was compounding existing problems. While the press conference focused on the pause of FoodShare (SNAP) benefits, Brown pointed out that the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TFAP)—which provides government food commodities—had “seen steep declines in food resources all year long” since the start of the year. Food commodities coming out of the USDA have been declining, and in June, Couleecap received notification of a “full cancellation of meat, eggs, and dairy products” from the USDA, delivered without warning or explanation. Brown stressed that food pantries had been “under extreme pressure all year long without these resources” and the loss of FoodShare benefits “is just another striking blow.”
“…over the last two weeks, we have seen federal government employees who are now furloughed visit us. We are seeing students, healthcare workers. Last week we were visited by a veteran who explained to us that normally between their wages and their veteran benefits, they can make ends meet. But now their veteran benefits did not come because of the government shutdown and they can’t afford their rent and they can’t afford food…”
CouleeCap Executive Director Hetti Brown
“We are seeing people come in, where they used to visit us once a month,” said Borwn. “Now they’re visiting us every week and we are seeing recently many, many people who we’ve never seen before. In Sparta, for example, over the last two weeks, we have seen federal government employees who are now furloughed visit us. We are seeing students, healthcare workers. Last week we were visited by a veteran who explained to us that normally between their wages and their veteran benefits, they can make ends meet. But now their veteran benefits did not come because of the government shutdown and they can’t afford their rent and they can’t afford food, and they’re visiting us.”
Becki Rider, Food Pantry Manager of Living Faith Food Pantry, shared that the pantry served 20,978 people and 8,358 households in 2024, generally giving away about 20,000 pounds of food every month.
Julie Fraser, from Immanuel Lutheran Church, explained that their 24/7 “little free food pantry” now requires filling two to three times a day, up from just once or twice a week when it began last November.
Courtney Havel, Foundation and Marketing Director of Bethel Butikk Food Pantry in Westby, confirmed the surge in demand, stating the pantry fed nearly 6,500 people in 2024 and has already served more people in 2025. Bethel Butikk also gifted about $90,000 to 269 families in Vernon County in 2024 for essential needs such as utilities and housing.
for every one meal a food bank or food pantry provides, SNAP is providing nine meals
Corey from Second Harvest Food Bank emphasized the severity of the deficit caused by the end of FoodShare, stating that for every one meal a food bank or food pantry provides, SNAP is providing nine meals, underscoring the impossibility of making up that deficit through local donations alone.
State Senator Brad Pfaff (D – 32nd District) praised Johnson for leading the effort and called on Washington policymakers to put aside partisan concerns.
“People in this region, they work hard, they play hard, and they believe in one another,” said Pfaff. “Now there’s a time and there’s a place for partisan politics. When it comes to feeding one another and caring for one another, sheltering one another, we need to recognize the fact that we need to come together. This is an example of the love and this care and the support that the people in this community have towards one another. I request, I hope, and I pray that our policymakers in Washington DC recognize the fact that it is time. Get back to work and help the people they are elected to serve.”
Representative Johnson concluded that while the community response is appreciated, these efforts are merely “band-aids” and short-term fixes. She insisted that the federal government must “get back to work and to restore these benefits.”
Representative Johnson and Colleagues Demand USDA Action
Representative Johnson was one of several state legislators who signed a letter sent to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on October 28, 2025, demanding immediate action to prevent food insecurity due to the shutdown. The text of that letter is below:
Delivered Electronically October 28, 2025 The Honorable Brooke Rollins Secretary U.S. Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20250
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