USA - WISCONSIN - Local Food Pantry In Menasha Uses Flex Farms To Boost Fresh Food Access In Fox Valley

by Savannah Wood, FOX 11 News

May 13th 2025

Crivitz School District collaborates with Fork Farms to bring "Flex Farm" hydroponic system into the classroom, January 31, 2025 (WLUK/Savannah Wood)

MENASHA (WLUK) -- A local food pantry is making a difference in the Fox Valley.

St. Joseph's Food Program in Menasha uses their hydroponic systems or Flex Farms to ensure the community has better access to fresh food.

Flex Farms are mobile vertical growing systems that only require 9 square feet of space and a standard electrical outlet for operation. A single Flex Farm can grow 25 pounds of lettuce every 28 days.

St. Joe's Food Pantry has 20 Flex Farms to held feed people in the community.

With the help of Flex Farms, in 2024 St. Joe's distributed over 3.5 million pounds of food to over 30,000 pantry clients.

If you are looking to donate, St. Joe's is always looking for peanut butter, soup, canned fruit or vegetables, canned tuna or chicken, spaghetti sauce, cereal, and fresh produce.

For more information, go to their website.