251619
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
221233, 231821
Sponsor
THE CHAIR
Title
Resolution authorizing the City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office through its FEED MKE program to receive a $25,000 grant from Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign as part of the Mayor’s Alliance to End Childhood Hunger.
Analysis
This resolution authorizes the Environmental Collaboration Office (ECO) to accept and spend a $25,000 grant from Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. These funds will support the FEED MKE program by awarding four mini-grants -- two for $7,500 and two for $5,000 -- to local, community food recovery partners. The initiative focuses on increasing participation in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) from 10% to 20-25% and expanding enrollment in federal nutrition programs like SNAP, WIC, and Summer EBT. As with the larger FEED MKE Pilot Project, these mini-grants support the coordination and expansion of initiatives among public, private, and governmental entities to address the interconnected issues of childhood food insecurity, equitable resource distribution, and climate resilience. The Milwaukee Climate and Equity Plan features “10 Big Ideas” to strategically reduce the city’s carbon footprint, including Waste Reduction and Sustainable Consumption.
This "Big Idea" focuses on feeding hungry people and reducing systemic waste by ensuring that edible food reaches those in need rather than being discarded. By funding community-led outreach and expanding SUN Meals To-Go and non-congregate sites, this program ensures that children in the city's most vulnerable ZIP codes have consistent access to nutrition, even when school is not in session. The key outcomes of this strategy are that childhood hunger is reduced through increased federal program participation (SNAP, WIC, and Summer EBT), and the local food system becomes more resilient by strengthening the infrastructure for food redistribution. These mini-grants empower local organizations to overcome operational barriers, such as transportation and cold storage, which are critical to maintaining a sustainable and equitable food ecosystem for Milwaukee’s youth.
Body
Whereas, the City of Milwaukee’s Climate and Equity Plan identifies "Waste Reduction and Sustainable Consumption" as one of its "Ten Big Ideas" to reduce the city’s carbon footprint and address food insecurity; and
Whereas, Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign, through the Mayors Alliance Action Fund, has awarded the City $25,000 to address systemic inequities in food access; and
Whereas, the FEED MKE program will utilize these funds to scale a proven mini-grant model, targeting high-priority ZIP codes (53205, 53206, 53216, and 53218) where child poverty rates exceed 55%; and
Whereas, this grant will fund outreach, non-congregate summer meal sites, and mobile enrollment clinics to reach an additional 2,000 children; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Environmental Collaboration Office shall accept this grant agreement without further approval, unless the terms change as indicated in Section 304-81 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances; and, be it
Further Resolved that the City Comptroller is authorized to:
1. Commit funds within the Project/Grant Parent of the 2026 Special Revenue-Grant and Aid Projects the following amount for the project titled: FEED MKE Project:
Project/Grant GR0002600000
Fund 0150
Org 9990
Program 0001
Budget Year 0000
Sub Class R999
Account 000600
Project Grantor Share
Amount $25,000
2. Create the necessary Grant and Aid Project/Grant and Project/Grant levels; budget against these Project/Grant values the amount required under the grant agreement;
3. Establish the necessary City Share Project Values; and, be it
Further Resolved, that these funds are budgeted for the Department of Administration- Environmental Collaboration Office which is authorized to expend from the amount budgeted for specified purposes, enter into sub-award agreements or mini-grants with qualifying food recovery partners and incur costs consistent with the award date.
Requestor
Department of Administration - Environmental Collaboration Office
1/20/2026