The UW-Extension Health and Well-Being Institute is recognizing a program that Grow It Forward has taken over and made successful for the last three years.
Glean Manitowoc began as a youth-led 4-H project that’s evolved into a sustainable partnership between Extension FoodWIse and the local nonprofit.
The program ensures that unsold produce, such as dairy and eggs, reaches families in need.
Over the last three years, Sophia Mesiner, a former intern, has collaborated with more than 30 market vendors to collect and distribute vendor donations.
About 150 families were served through Southfield Townhouses’ food distribution, and more than 5,500 pounds of produce were collected in 2025 alone, supporting four local initiatives.
Glean Manitowoc has also gotten support through a West Foundation internship with the Northeastern Wisconsin Area Health Education Consortium.
The program has also served as a model for other Wisconsin communities with similar initiatives piloted this year in Sturgeon Bay.
