The majority of the records are from the late 1980s and 1990s; there is no information
about the founding of the Hunger Task Force. The collection contains minutes from various
committees, including the executive and Advocacy Committees and the board of directors,
information on HTFM's education and advocacy efforts, correspondence with Wisconsin
legislators, photographs of staff and events, and a few videotapes of HTFM commercials and
interviews with HTFM staff. There are also three audio tapes of radio interviews with
members of the staff.
The records document HTFM's projects to fight hunger, including the Infant Nutrition
Project and the Emergency Food Pantry Network. The Infant Nutrition Project was created in
1987 to address the problems of infant mortality, low birth weight, and infant hunger. The
project formed a system for early identification and prevention of nutritional problems
among pre- and post-natal mothers and their infants. These records include minutes,
correspondence, information on workshops, progress reports, and other information concerning
local hospital involvement with the project. Also included are four videos from the project,
three for health professionals and one for mothers.
The Emergency Food Pantry Network files describe the coordination of the network by the
Hunger Task Force. The network was organized in 1982 in response to the increasing emergency
food needs of the community. HTFM coordinates the network by collecting food and monetary
donations and by providing training and assistance to over 100 pantries in Milwaukee County.
Minutes from various committees, correspondence, and workshop information comprise the bulk
of these records.
HTFM also sponsors, coordinates, or works with various local coalitions which work to fight
hunger. One of these is the Entitlement Coalition of Milwaukee, which was founded as the
Milwaukee Food Stamp Coalition in 1975. The coalition is comprised of local agencies that
advocate for recipients of entitlement programs; it also provides services to low-income
people mostly counseling, advocacy, and emergency food. Included in these records are
minutes from 1975 to 1996, correspondence, and information on workshops given. Also in the
collection are the records from the Hunger Action Network, sponsored by HTFM, which was
formed in 1983. The bulk of these records are minutes and reports.
The records also document HTFM's administration of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management
Administration) funds. HTFM became the local administrator for FEMA funds that are allocated
to Milwaukee County food pantries. The majority of these records consist of correspondence
with FEMA officials and local food pantries and award information.
The Hunger Task Force's involvement with the USDA/Americorps' Anti-Hunger Project in
Milwaukee in 1994-1995 is described in correspondence, quarterly reports, recruitment and
orientation information Forty young people performed community service to implement
anti-hunger projects while earning money for college or vocational school. Milwaukee was one
of a few cities that received Americorp volunteers.
The newsclippings and press releases detail the various project and food drives undertaken
and policies advocated by HTFM. Most of the newsclippings are from the Milwaukee Journal and the Milwaukee
Sentinel and include articles, opinion pieces, and letters to the editor.
The collection also contains various newsletters that were published by HTFM including
Briefs for Advocates, Community
Connection, Donors' Newsletter, Food Connection, Hunger Connection,
and Taking Stock. Some of these newsletters consist of
incomplete runs with the exception of Hunger Connection,
which has issues over a nine year period of 1985-1994.
