United Cooperative, based in Beaver Dam with locations throughout Wisconsin, is proud to support 34 local food pantries in the United Cooperative trade area, including the Good Samaritan Thrift Store/Food pantry in Hillsboro and the Good Shepherd Food Pantry in Viroqua, Wis., each receiving a donation of $1,000.

Each year, United Cooperative teams up with the Land O’ Lakes Foundation through its Member Co-op Match Program. The Foundation program matches United Cooperative’s donation, dollar-for-dollar, thus doubling the funds available for our local food pantries.

“We are proud to partner with the Land O’ Lakes Foundation each year to help support the communities where our patron members work and live,” said David Cramer, president and CEO of United Cooperative, “This is a record year for food pantry donations from United Cooperative. Last year, we donated $28,000 to local food pantries with the Land O’ Lakes Foundation Match Program, but with our recent acquisitions in northeastern and east-central Wisconsin, we decided to expand our contributions.”

This year, food pantry donations were sent to pantries as far west as Viroqua and as far north as Coleman, Wis., totaling $37,000.

Other communities receiving financial support were: Ashippun, Baraboo, Beaver Dam, Berlin, Cecil, Columbus, Deerfield, Denmark, Green Bay, Hartford, Horicon, Johnson Creek, Kewaunee, Lena, Mayville, Milton, Montello, Oconto Falls, Oshkosh, Portage, Prairie du Sac, Pulaski, Reedsburg, Reeseville, Ripon, Shawano, Shioction, Tilleda, Watertown and Waupun.