Food Pantry: From Emergency Food to Long- term Support

At the Citadel Corps food pantry in Milwaukee, service begins in small, quiet gestures: a volunteer greeting a neighbor, a box of groceries sliding gently across a table, a brief conversation that eases tension. Yet those simple moments ripple outward, shaping lives well beyond the pantry walls.    

“I come to learn, to listen, and to love,” said longtime volunteer Julie Juedes. “Every time I’m here, I walk away understanding people - and myself - a little better.”    

The pantry supports individuals and families facing food insecurity, many coping with job loss, rising living costs, or sudden personal crises. For volunteers, the experience is as reflective as it is practical, offering lessons that extend into everyday life.    First-time volunteers often arrive expecting to give, only to discover an unexpected exchange of humanity and gratitude.  

 “People think we’re just giving,” Juedes said. “But you offer food or a smile, and you receive gratitude, kindness, and real joy.”    That quiet exchange mirrors The Salvation Army’s wider impact across Milwaukee County. This year alone, its three food pantries distributed 13,568 grocery orders.  

“Those numbers represent real families,” said Major Beverly Gates, Area Commander for The Salvation Army of Milwaukee County. “Parents stretching budgets, children who need reliable meals, and seniors choosing between food and medication.”  

Supported by community food drives and Hunger Task Force donations, the pantries provide two to three days of emergency groceries while connecting households to longer-term support.  

Inside the pantry, dignity is restored in small ways - a shared smile, a patient conversation, reassurance that no one is invisible, and that community begins with simply showing up.

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Food Pantry Locations & Hours  

Milwaukee Citadel Corps  
4129 W Villard Ave., Milwaukee  
Thursday 10 a.m.–12 p.m.  
Friday 10 a.m.–2 p.m.  

Cold Spring Corps  
2900 W Cold Spring Rd., Greenfield  
Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m.–12 p.m.  

Oak Creek Corps  
8853 S Howell Ave., Oak Creek  
Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m.–12 p.m.  
First Monday monthly 2–5 p.m.