Under the direction of the Madison Christian Ministerial Association, the Madison Food Center opened its doors on November 15, 2005. Combining former food pantries at Chapel United Methodist Church, Immaculate Conception Church and Trinity Lutheran Church, the new organization was formed. Our first locations were in The Lantern of Madison building; first upstairs, then in the lower level. The Center is now housed in Phoenix Professional Building on Hubbard Road in North Madison.
The idea for a centralized emergency food pantry was the idea of Madison activists Fred Close, Frank Ashton, Rev. Stephen Fisher and Tom Chmura of the Salvation Army. A start-up grant from the Cleveland Foundation furnished equipment and supplies for the Center.
The Madison Food Center is operated entirely by volunteers from area churches and the community at large. Funding comes from area churches, community residents, organizations and businesses.