Wello

The strength of a community lies in the symbiotic partnerships between organizations and individuals on a mission toward a shared vision. When people come together, the potential for meaningful transformation grows exponentially. One such powerful example is the collaboration between Wello and Seasonal Harvest. Together, they are making systematic changes in Wisconsin, working toward a healthier, more equitable future for all. 

 

Wello is a nonprofit organization that believes everyone should have the opportunity to live their very best lives. 

 

“We are on a mission to co-create community conditions that are fair and just where everybody has access to the highest possible level of well-being,” says Beth Heller, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Wello.

 

The organization is small but mighty and tirelessly works to foster relationships across the community, resulting in collaborative, needle-moving projects. From promoting active living to improving access to healthy food, Wello’s work spans a wide array of projects, all aimed at bettering the health of those in the Greater Green Bay area. 

 

A core area of Wello’s work focuses on increasing access to healthy food. Wello targets the food system through a model for food solidarity called Cultivating Community. They believe that people have a right to access nutritious, fresh food. With that, they prioritize local producers to meet the food needs of the community. Rather than simply distributing food, Wello focuses on understanding the root causes of food insecurity and addressing those underlying challenges.  

 

This approach has driven initiatives like the farm-to-school program, which has been brought to nine school districts in Brown County, and the Healthy Food Access Program, which has successfully operationalized buying food from farmers and getting it to the community. Wello continues taking bold and innovative steps to make well-being accessible to all.

 

Wello’s partnership with Seasonal Harvest stemmed from a shared dedication to transforming the local food system.

 

The connection began with a chance encounter between Beth and Sheri Howard, co-owner of Seasonal Harvest, in the parking lot of Casa ALBA Melanie. Beth urgently needed nearly 80 boxes of locally sourced produce, and Seasonal Harvest was able to fulfill that request immediately. The two had worked on projects together in the past, but this event sparked a deeply intertwined partnership rooted in the same passion for creating a healthy, sustainable food system.

 

They quickly found that by working together, they could accomplish so much more. Sheri and Beth felt that they could not only work toward meeting the needs of the community but also support the farmers who are at the heart of that system.

 

For Wello, the key to addressing food insecurity is understanding the needs and goals of local farmers.  

 

“The question became, ‘How do we build systems and processes that prioritize and elevate the needs of those small family farms, which we know lead to more resilient, connected, healthier, and economically strong communities?’” says Beth. 

 

Together, Sheri and Beth work toward a method that benefits both local farmers and the community. They have created economies of scale that are built on the real cost of food so farmers secure fair prices for their produce while also ensuring fresh, locally sourced foods reach the community and those who need them most. Through Wello’s efforts, fresh produce from Seasonal Harvest is brought to local schools, food pantries, and community centers. 

 

“There is no way that Wello could have done what we've done with Cultivating Community without Seasonal Harvest,” Beth says. “I think their role as an aggregator and a strategic partner is why we're so far ahead of so many places in Wisconsin and nationally.”

 

The partnership is mutually beneficial. Sheri feels an enormous channel has opened up for Seasonal Harvest to further impact the community with the products from their farmers. 

 

“We don’t bring our ‘seconds’ as an afterthought to a local pantry. The way we do things is intentional and impactful,” Sheri says. “From the school nutrition directors to the staff, we are changing the way they approach food. We're helping students. We're helping the community resource center clients. We're helping United Way. With this partnership, we're feeding our community. We're touching places that have not been touched in the past.”

 

Seasonal Harvest is not only getting food to those who need it, they are building an equitable system for the farmers that produce that food. One of the key elements of their approach is prioritizing smaller farms when fulfilling orders. This ensures small farms have equal access to opportunities, helping them to thrive alongside larger farms. 

 

Additionally, Seasonal Harvest never compromises on price, and customers understand the importance of that. 

 

“The fact that our farmers and customers have bought into that model is a fundamental change in how we look at food and the cost of food,” Sheri says. 
 

Today, this partnership has grown far beyond just food distribution. Sheri and Beth also regularly collaborate on projects, identifying gaps in the community and working together to bridge them. Whether they are brainstorming solutions to improve school nutrition or strategizing on how to secure grants for local farmers, their efforts are in support of one another.  

 

“Together we have a much broader sphere of influence,” Beth says. 

 

Beth and Sheri feel they share a common goal of finding creative solutions for local challenges and know combining forces has twice the impact. 

 

“It's a completely symbiotic relationship,” Sheri says. “It's a partnership on a mission.” 

 

Combined, Wello and Seasonal Harvest are transforming the local food system in Wisconsin. By joining their strengths, they are working toward a community where healthy, locally grown food is accessible to all, and where farmers are supported and valued as an integral part of that system. 

 

This partnership is an inspiring example of what can be accomplished when people come together to make a difference. Wello and Seasonal Harvest are not only addressing food insecurity, but they are also building a healthier, just, and more sustainable future for the entire community.