Ebenezer Stone Ministries is a community ministry, which was founded as a soup kitchen on the south side of Milwaukee at 35th and Scott Street (in what was Ebenezer Lutheran Church). In 2008, Ebenezer consolidated with Hales Corners Lutheran Church. Since its founding, Ebenezer’s programs have expanded to include hot meals, a food pantry, a clothing closet in partnership with Siebert grantee partner NewThreads for Hope, job readiness opportunities, and financial responsibility training. In 2021, Ebenezer opened a second location a few blocks from the church at 12th and Bruce to house a food warehouse and community meeting space.
Primary Focus Area: Food for food-insecure families and connections to resources and pathways to stability
Requesting Funding for Operating Support
Operating Budget: $270,361
Lutheran Affiliation: LCMS
Programs:
Food Pantry - The organization serves 7,000 people (duplicated count) with 14,000 meals each year at the Hales Corners location. Programs include distributing twice-weekly bagged lunches, hot meals, health screenings, and basic health services. Other services/activities offered at this location include an ESL class, weekly basketball games that bring youth in contact with members of the Milwaukee Police Department, and health screenings. Plans include adding a part-time case worker to connect clients to critical resources in the community.
Food Redistribution - The warehouse, located on Milwaukee’s southside, has 16 food pantry partners. Partners regularly meet either online or in person to coordinate deliveries and improve efficiencies. A contractual partnership with Feeding America provides food, shelving, a delivery truck, and access to expertise. The warehouse has a community room that hosts several groups, including a bi-monthly support group for formerly incarcerated women facilitated by EXPO Wisconsin.
Who is Served: Twenty-five percent of the population in the surrounding neighborhoods live below the poverty level, and 17% of the adult population does not have a high school diploma. The neighborhood is challenged by generational poverty and is resource-poor with poor transportation and few childcare facilities.
Location: 1127 S 35th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53215
Website: https://ebenezerstoneministries.org/