June 4, 2026 11:30a
(WGTD)---The Racine Dominican Sisters are offering a matching grant to help expand a summer meals program in the city.
Last year a new group called “Benner Beats Hunger” started serving free meals to kids, parents and caregivers at the Geneva Street Community Oriented Policing house. In just 10 weeks, 3,000 meals were served.
Co-founder Gabby Hood, an officer who’s stationed at the COP house, tells WGTD the meals program was able to help the guests in ways beyond keeping their stomachs full. Organizers developed relationships with parents, grandparents and caregivers and were able to determine if any needs existed that could be addressed. "We saw many grandparents that unfortunately were taking care of their grandchildren as parents," she said. "There were single parents that were having a hard time finding work and child care. All things that we were abler to accomplish by sitting down with them over a meal and educating them on what's available in the county."
With the help of the Sisters’ $50,000 matching grant, the meals program will now be available at multiple sites, including all community centers in Racine and at a couple of county parks.
By the way, the “Benner” name is a reference to the late Julie Benner, Gabby’s aunt, who was a prolific community volunteer.
The meals program begins June 15th.
Details are available here.
The meals are provided by a Milwaukee-based non-profit. It's able to seek reimbursement from the state for the cost of meals provided to the kids. But meals served to adults are covered by donations, including the matching grant from the Dominicans.
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