Building a more connected system for Wisconsin families 

Our vision for a coordinated system 
Over the next few years, the Milwaukee FoodCare Coalition wants to become more coordinated and connected. We believe this will make it easier for families to access food and nutrition support. Our vision is a seamless system where families get the support they desire, instead of navigating multiple organizations on their own.  

For us, coordination means more than working alongside one another. It means sharing knowledge, expertise, resources, and learning opportunities. It also means understanding what each organization does. That way, when a family wants a specific service, everyone knows where to connect them and how to help get the right support. 

Listening to our partners 
Building strong coordination takes time, patience and a willingness to try new approaches. This spring, we worked with member organizations to better understand how they connect families to food and nutrition resources. We wanted to learn about their processes, how they communicate with families, what is working well and where the challenges are. 

We asked how organizations identify concerns with families, help them access information and resources, and connect  to services they do not provide. We also explored how organizations communicate with one another. For example, how do health care providers communicate with food pantries, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs and other community organizations? And how do community organizations communicate back to health care systems? We wanted to understand both the strengths and opportunities for improvement. 

What we learned 
What we learned was encouraging. Many organizations have strong screening practices that help identify families' concerns. Some have strong relationships and trust within the communities they serve. Others have dedicated staff who help families navigate services and connect to resources. There are also opportunities for growth. Communication between different types of organizations is often limited. Services may be underused because organizations and families do not always know what resources are available or how to access them.  

These findings confirmed what we thought we knew. More importantly, they gave us a deeper understanding of how each organization works and what our partners want to see in the future. 

Where we go from here 
We are excited to build on what we learned. This means taking small steps to try new approaches. We'll keep what works and learn from what doesn't. Our goal is a more connected system of support that better serves Wisconsin families. 

Get involved 
Want to help us build a stronger, more connected food security network? Visit our Food Security webpage to learn more, or reach out to Geeta Wadhwani, MPH, RN, BSN food security program leader, to see how your organization can join the effort!