Sun Prairie Emergency Food Pantry is a  volunteer run organization.

Sun Prairie Emergency Food Pantry began in 1993 when six Sun Prairie churches merged their smaller food pantries to create a single larger panty that served the entire community.

Back then, the food pantry, located in a small building on North Bristol Street, served around 50 families a month. Today, the food pantry serves approximately 500 families a month.

As client numbers grew, so did the size of the food pantry. The pantry moved to a larger space on South Bristol Street in 1997. And the food pantry moved to its current location at 18 Rickel Road in 2007 after crews razed the South Bristol Street building to construct a new Senior Living Center.

On January 1, 2023 the pantry merged with and became a program of Sunshine Place. Sunshine Place brings long-term sustainability in paid administrative and support staff. Together Sunshine Place and the pantry can focus on the root causes of poverty and food insecurity, so our shared client base can thrive.

The food pantry takes full advantage of partnerships with Second Harvest, the Community Action Coalition, area grocery stores, and wholesale food distributors. Collaborative efforts with area schools and other nonprofits also help increase community members’ access to food.

The most significant characteristic of the food pantry is the enduring support it receives from the community. Sun Prairie Emergency Food Pantry could not exist and operate without the kindness and generosity of its volunteers, Sun Prairie residents, and beyond.