Wisconsin Life is partnering with MOM to help tell the stories of people in our community related to poverty. The first essay, in what hopefully will become a short series, is an audio essay given by a woman in our community who uses MOM’s services to make it through the month. It will air Wednesday, January 18th at 6:35am and 8:35am during Morning Edition on WPR (WERN 88.7 FM).

We hope you’ll join us in listening to this personal essay, and share your stories with us.

It is with mixed feelings that I am saying goodbye to MOM. In March I’ll be heading just a couple of miles down the road to Catholic Charities, where I will be their Vice President. It is the perfect collision of opportunity and my faith, the very thing that led me down this path to a new life of service years ago when I made the biggest career change of my life.

I want to thank you for the support that you have provided MOM, me and my family for the past two years. I feel good knowing that MOM is on an extremely upward path. MOM’s Board of Directors and exceptional staff is stronger than ever and together with all of you, they are ready to make 2012 the best year yet. With a strategic plan in place and a strong financial position, they will implement programs that will continue to Prevent Homelessness and End Hunger in this community for years to come.

I will stay on with MOM until the beginning of March. The process is already underway to find a new leader that will continue to move MOM in a strong, forward direction.

Thank you for all you do for this community. Your commitment to MOM and our clients is vital to the strength of MOM and I can’t thank you enough for your hard work and energy. Working along side you has been an honor, and I look forward to continuing to serve with you in this community as we work to strengthen and give hope to our neighbors.

In Community -
Jackson Fonder
Executive Director of MOM

More than just a giant pirate ship or Bucky Badger, according to Middleton Outreach Ministry, who is hosting their second annual Madison-area Canstruction Competition on Thursday, May 3rd at the KEVA Sports Center in Middleton.  “Each can is more than just a building block of an enormous sculpture; each can is food for a family and another step towards ending hunger in this community,” says Val Hartjes, Special Event Manager for MOM.

Canstruction^® is a competition where groups build incredible, highly imaginative structures out of canned goods and packaged food.  After the structures are built and the winners are declared, all food used in the structures will be donated to the Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM) Food Pantry.  Teams will build structures that day which will be judged by design professionals and community leaders.  Trophies will be awarded for use of color, creativity and engineering.  Last year the event raised 20 tons of food, which nearly equals a semi-truck full of food.

Food pantries struggle during the summer months.  The need for food dramatically increases because children are not receiving free and reduced lunch at school and because our donations decrease as a result of summer travel.  “We selected May for our Canstruction Competition because it will allow us to build up a food reserve going into the summer,” says Cheri Farha, Distribution Center Manager for MOM.

MOM is currently registering teams for this community competition to end hunger.  One of the most meaningful and fun community building competition available in the Madison area, MOM offers design experts to teams who don’t have design expertise and want everyone to consider participating in this unique and fun event.   All teams will attend a kick-off Team Meeting in late January or mid February.   Teams can range from church, school or business groups to teams of friends.  Event sponsors are also needed.  

The event is supported by AIA (American Institute of Architects) of Southwest Wisconsin, and is presented by the Madison Area Builders Association.  “The Madison Area Builders Association is excited to be part of Canstruction; building and feeding the future together, “ says Julie Sheldon, PR Chairperson from MABA.  “It’s a great fit!”

The community event on May 3will be great fun for the whole family. Besides viewing and voting for favorite sculptures, there will be food concessions and children’s activities.  The site is sponsored by KEVA Sports.

More information about the event or about registering as a team or sponsor can be found at canstructionmadison.org.

With winter break now in session, many children and youth who rely on the school’s free and reduced meals to fill their stomachs and feed their brains will be without that important resource.   With cupboards and refrigerators being empty of food, many students and families will be awaiting the return of school more than others.

One of MOM’s latest efforts to address hunger is the problem of school hunger amongst at-risk students. “The snack bag program was originally designed to help students who come to school hungry,” says Cheri Farha, MOM Distribution Center Manager.  The free and reduced meals the students are eligible to receive don’t always cover the many circumstances some of them face, such as coming to school late due to lack of transportation or unstable housing arrangements, and then miss breakfast offered at some school cafeterias.  The students end up in the social worker’s offices, hungry and lacking energy to get through the school day.

Farha said that since the program was developed in the spring of 2010, MOM has provided social workers with over 750 snack bags.  In addition to the snack bags, MOM provides food to students to take home on long weekends or breaks, when they don’t have school meals to rely on and food may be hard to come by at home.  These bags of food include staples such as cereal, shelf-stable milk, pastas, and meals in a box as well as personal items such as toilet paper and toothbrushes.  The majority of the youth that receive these bags aren’t living in stable housing and often move from home to home.  The food included is food that they could prepare anywhere, and helps them feel more confident that they won’t be hungry over the break.

Betsy Scallon, MCPASD school social worker shared this story about a student who will be using the bags over break.  “Susan has been living with her mother for the past 6 months after moving to Middleton because her father didn’t want her to live with him anymore.  After she turned 18 her mother told her she needed to be on her own, so she is currently living with friends and searching for a part time job so she can afford an apartment to live in with a friend.  She continues to attend high school, as she is on track to graduate at the end of this school year.  The food from MOM will help Susan to eat while she is not in school over the two week winter break.”

“MOM felt like was an area where we could make a significant impact on hunger in our community as well as directly in a child’s life.  Winter break should be a time of fun, and it saddened us to know that there would be children eagerly awaiting school’s return just so they could eat,”  said Farha.    MOM is continuing all of these programs throughout 2012 thanks to generous donors throughout the community.  More information on MOM’s work to end hunger in the area can be found at momhelps.org.

“It is always amazing to see the community pull together,” said Jackson Fonder, Executive Director of Middleton Outreach Ministry.  “Every year the program grows.   In five years, we’ve doubled the number of people we serve with this program.  But because this community believes so strongly in caring for each other, they made sure each and every individual, senior or family that applied for the program was able to receive gifts.”

MOM’s Sharing Christmas program not only provides joy and hope, but tangibly serves as another way for people to save their limited resources for necessities such as food and rent.   Through this program, families, groups and businesses were matched directly with low-income people in the community and purchased them gifts off of a wish list.

A family who came in earlier in the week to apply for MOM’s services had been struggling for quite some time, but no longer could wait to turn for help.  While in the office, he asked if there were any gifts available for his children.   Items from a donor were quickly pulled together and the family went home with gifts.  While it was hard asking for help at this time of year, he said, “It was with such ease and thoughtfulness that MOM helped us in a time of sadness. We left feeling such relief!”   Donors to the program found the program just as fulfilling, “Delivering gifts to the family was possibly one of the most meaningful  moments of my life,” said a Sharing Christmas donor.  “There is nothing greater than sharing during this season.”

For many people in our community, the holidays mean something else.  When the world seems aglow with glittering lights and pretty bows, this time of year is a constant reminder of the warmth others have and that they lack.  The holidays are filled with anxiety as they struggle to make ends meet, knowing that they may not have a special meal on the table or even a stable home in which to live.

At MOM we help about 600 families each month get through some pretty tough times.  We focus on basic needs, like Food, Clothing, and Housing Assistance.  Although our clients are unique and their struggles are different from one another, they all have one thing in common – they need our help.

Meet John and Jeff, two brothers who live with Jeff’s four year old daughter in an apartment in our area.   Both had full time jobs, but each had their hours significantly reduced until they could no longer afford the rent.  After falling for a few months, they were issued an eviction notice.   John and Jeff heard about MOM and hoped that we could help them with their hopeless situation.  MOM helped them apply for a grant through the county that was enough to stave off eviction.   John and Jeff were also approved for a Rent Subsidy which will assist them with a small grant over the next six months.   One of MOM’s case managers helped with employment search counseling which led to a job offer for Jeff – he started his full time job just last month.

One of them recently wrote:  “I really don’t know how to put it into words.  Before MOM, it was a constant struggle to pay my bills on time and avoid additional late fees.  I am truly grateful for all the help I’ve been blessed with.  Even our moods at home are much more at ease and we are definitely happier.  In my family we always say when it rains it pours, meaning if it’s bad, it’s only going to get worse, which can be overwhelming and depressing.  MOM prevented that from happening and instead had the opposite effect and that feeling is amazing and can’t be put into words.  Thank you.”

We also help people like Claire, a 66 year old woman who suffers from terminal cancer.  She’s a single parent to her physically & mentally disabled son and struggles to make ends meet with rent that is only $100 below her income.  Recently, Claire’s sister passed away, leaving her to care for a 16 year old niece.  As a result of everything that is going on in her life, she was unable to keep up w/the rent payments and was issued an eviction notice.  She came to MOM hoping she would find relief, though she couldn’t imagine in what form that might come.   Since connecting with MOM, Claire was approved for grants which were enough for the landlord to rescind her eviction notice and is working towards additional financial assistance which will enable her and her family to get back on their feet.

Claire wrote us a note that says, “With my sister passing away and my husband leaving our family, I fell on hard times.  With the loss of income and no family in town, I did not know where to turn.  God sent me to MOM where I met Judy, your case worker.  People might not understand my pain and I do not mean to embarrass anyone, but let the truth be told, I am glad to be a part of and know MOM.  I pray that this organization is strengthened so they can help many other people who really need help when they have nowhere else to go.  I thank MOM and all the people who work so hard to help people in need – I know because I am one of them.”

MOM offers much more than just financial assistance – we provide relief from the fear of not having food for your children or a place for them to call home.  We are able to give warmth through energy assistance and housing when the cold winter is right outside the door.  And maybe most importantly, we provide that miracle of Hope, that with the help of their community, things will turn out OK and that they will make it through another day.

If we come together to help our neighbors and our community, together we can prevent homelessness right here in Middleton, Cross Plains and West Madison.

When I sit around our warm living room this Christmas, I am going to also remember that in a way, MOM is the family that cares about its members when they need help and say a word of thanks for this great community of people who care about them.

We invite you to be a part of this miracle today.  Join us at momhelps.org.

-JF

On December 3rd and 4th, the community will take a step back in time with the Home for the Holidays’ world premiere of the radio play by Tom McLoughlin and Tony Retaino, “Young St. Nick: The Boy Who Became Santa Claus” at the Middleton Performing Arts Center to benefit Middleton Outreach Ministry (MOM).  The crowd will be jazzed with the swingin’ sounds from the Larry Busch Band; charmed by classic commercials set in the vintaged tone of our favorite Christmas songs; enchanted by a young mischievous orphan named Saint Nick as he crafts the magic of Christmas.

But what they won’t see is the man behind the curtain, co-writer Tony Reitano, and what they won’t hear is the inspiring story of actress, co-director and co-producer Leslie Esser-Reitano, the husband and wife duo and production team responsible for the play.

“I didn’t expect to be in Wisconsin,” Tony reflects. “But we came to this place in a round-about way, and it turned things in a different direction and opened up new possibilities for us.”

The husband and wife duo have extensive acting credentials ranging from stage, cabaret, recording, commercials and television that, when combined, spans half a century. But Tony and Leslie seemingly zig-zagged around each other’s lives from coast-to-coast before ever coming together. Both started their careers on the stages of New York. Then Tony headed to Los Angeles, and chronic misdiagnosed health issues repeatedly sent Leslie back to her native Middleton for recovery. While Tony was in LA, he wore many hats, including the “game show king,” a thirteen-year run as Vince the Crash Dummy in the Seat Belt Commercial campaign, TV and film actor as well as sitcom and animation writer. Leslie continued multiple acting opportunities on the West Coast, even teaching at the prestigious Musical Theatre, Pop and Opera programs at the Los Angeles High School For Performing Arts.

But their paths didn’t cross until nearly 15 years ago while they were both living in Los Angeles and working on a friend’s play. Leslie, wracked by perpetual health issues that would later be diagnosed as Lymphoma, found comfort in Tony’s immediate compassion toward her ailments.

“You know when you first start a relationship with someone, you want to put your best foot forward,” Leslie explains. “Well, I was the complete opposite. And I warned Tony, but he was just so great and considerate.”

Eventually, they married in a small intimate ceremony in Sedona amidst the red rocks, bought a house and had a daughter. Once Marguerite was born, Tony and Leslie realized they didn’t want to raise her in L.A.

“We came back to Wisconsin while visiting family and then thought, maybe we could live here. And then I went and bought a house,” Tony laughs.

“Yeah, without me. He comes back and says, ‘I bought us a house’,” Leslie laughs back. “And so here we are. Tony still says ‘we’re just trying it out,’ but we’ve been here for 10 years.”

Leslie’s involvement with MOM began five years ago when she and her theatre partner, Katrina Brunner, wanted to put on a performance with their theatre company Sycamore Street Ensemble to raise money for a local organization.

“I think the first show we maybe made $27 when it was all said and done,” Leslie recalls. “But I loved the idea of working for a local charity.”

Leslie really appreciated the work MOM did in their community, so she pitched the idea to MOM about partnering during the holidays. Not only did they like the idea of the holiday performance, they wanted to do everything they could to help.

“They said, ‘we will help produce and you just focus on the show.’ And it has been such an amazing and positive experience. Jackson Fonder [Executive Director of MOM] and the MOM staff and volunteers have given us trust to do what we know – the writing, producing and acting – and they take care of the rest.”  

Leslie, Katrina and the Sycamore Street Ensemble continued their partnership with MOM for four years. But after 2010’s performance, Tony and Leslie decided to do something new for the 2011 production of Home for the Holidays.

“We’d been doing the same performance of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ for three years and ‘Miracle on 34^th Street’ last year,” Leslie explains. “It just felt like it was time that we do something new. So this year, Heartline is producing the show for the first time.”

Tony and Leslie created a production company, Heartline Productions, that gave a name to all of the work Leslie and Tony already do with writing, producing, acting, teaching and coaching, and gave a backing to the partnership with MOM.

“The ‘Heartline’ symbol means long life, luck and good health in Zuni,” Leslie notes. “It seemed like a great choice to express our love for each other and also the love we have for what we do.”

“Young St. Nick: The Boy Who Became Santa Claus” originated as a potential movie pitch that Tony and his writing partner, Tom McLoughlin, reconstructed into a radio broadcast.

“ It was like walking right from the last performance,” Leslie explains. “We had generated the idea in the winter, then starting in Spring, Tony started writing with his partner and here’s the play today.”

On December 3^rd and 4^th, Heartline Productions and MOM will celebrate the holidays by inviting families together to get lost in a story and to be taken on a journey.

“We’re not just doing a benefit for MOM, MOM is really doing a benefit for us,” Leslie expresses. “Tony gets to see his play come to life, we get to do what we love and give back to our community at the same time.”

The event is presented by Affiliated Communications.  To buy tickets or learn more about the event, visit middletonholidays.org.  Tickets also available at Middleton Outreach Ministry’s office at 7432 Hubbard Avenue, Middleton.

###

MOM is a local non-profit organization that leads a community-wide effort to prevent homelessness and end hunger for our neighbors throughout Middleton, West Madison and Cross Plains.  Through our business partners, affiliated churches, area schools, community service clubs, and numerous individuals, we provide food, clothing, housing assistance, emergency financial assistance, and special services for seniors.  All programs are provided free of charge to neighbors in need. 

“We’re excited to have partnered with several area businesses to make this service happen.  Residents will receive Cornish hens, donated by Certco employees and Shurfine Food Centers, as well as fresh produce and sides that were provided at a discount to MOM by Capitol Centre Foods and supported by IBS.  “We are very grateful to tall of our sponsors and the community who provided the items needed so that we can make this Thanksgiving special to these residents.  Without them it wouldn’t be possible, ” said Cheri Farha, Food Pantry Manager. This is the first year that Communication Action Coalition hasn’t been able to provide turkeys and discounted sides, due to a decrease in donations and cuts to their own programs.

MOM’s Mobile Food Pantry initiative is yet another innovative way MOM is ending hunger in theWest Madison, Cross Plains, and Middleton areas.  Over 100 low income residents of two apartment complexes, Voss Haus (6710 Elmwood Avenue), and Segoe Terrace Apartments (602 Sawyer Terrace), have had the opportunity to shop for food in the ease of their apartment buildings for a year and a half.  The extension of the Food Pantry to a mobile service is the first of its kind in theDaneCountyarea. Twice per month, the Middleton Outreach Ministry truck is filled by volunteers with a broad variety of items from its Food Pantry in the Middleton Business Park. The boxes are then taken off of the truck and arranged in a way that people can shop for the food that they need.   Last year, one of the residents said that shopping at the Mobile Food Pantry was like being a “kid in a candy store” and that even if we didn’t return, she would “remember that day for the rest of her life.”

“Our Food Pantry is giving out record amounts of food.  In October, we gave out nearly 60,000 pounds of food to area residents,”  says Jackson Fonder, Executive Director.  ”Area families and individuals are struggling to make ends meet, and with our ‘come-as-you-need’ Food Pantry operation in conjunction with our outreach initiatives, we are working hard to make sure no one in our area ever goes to bed hungry.  Struggling families can now divert scarce resources previously targeted for food, to paying rent, utilities, and other necessities for their families.”

Photograph and Interview opportunities will available on Tuesday, November 15 from 2pm-3pm at the Voss Haus Thanksgiving Mobile Food Pantry, and on Wednesday, November 16 from 2pm-4pm at Segoe Terrace Thanksgiving Mobile Food Pantry, located at 602 Segoe Terrace on Madison’s west side.

MOM will also host the annual Thanksgiving Basket Program, providing 350 families from theWest Madisonand Middleton area with Thanksgiving Baskets.  Clients, who are pre-registered, will pick-up their baskets on Monday, November 21, from 2-6pm at St. Luke’s Church in Middleton.  The program is being sponsored by Certco employees and Shurfine Food Centers as well as IBS, and members of the community.