Gundersen Health System donates $50,000 to new WAFER facility

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WEAU) -Gundersen Health System presented WAFER Food Pantry with a donation of $50,000.

According to a media release from Gundersen Health System, the donation is intended to be used by the organization in its effort to remodel the former Gordy’s Country Market on the city’s Northside into “a larger, more store-like facility.”

“It will be able to expand the service they’re providing, including the experience that the users of the food pantry have,” Sarah Havens of Gundersen’s Office of Population Health, said. “So it’ll be an experience more like a grocery store.”

Havens says food insecurity is a concern for many patients as well as the community.

“Food insecurity, or concern about being able to afford healthy food, making your paycheck stretch so you have food for the month, is a concern for many of our patients, as well as the community,” Havens said. “So this is a way for us to impact health and wellbeing for those that we serve by providing support for this building project that WAFER is undergoing.”

Gundersen Health System says work on the new facility is scheduled to be complete by spring 2023.