Grocery Guide: FAQs

As an MKEGrocery Buddy, you’ll provide weekly support for a neighbor in need through a financial gift or by purchasing groceries directly. There are many ways to get involved and volunteer with weekly support starting at $10/week.

We ask for your patience as our small, dedicated volunteer team is working hard to match everyone as quickly possible.

If you need more immediate support, explore our resources page to find other community resources in the meantime.

Once you’re matched, we’ll share your neighbor’s phone number or email. It’s your responsibility to reach out and coordinate next steps.
We suggest starting with a short phone or video chat to introduce yourself and build trust before exchanging funds or groceries — it helps create comfort on both sides.

You and your grocery buddy will decide together how you’d like to send your gift — Venmo, CashApp, cash, grocery store gift card, etc. MKE Grocery Buddy does not handle funds or track payments.

With the back and forth between the courts and an administration that says it will not release the funds, a lot remains uncertain right now.

You and your grocery buddy can decide what works best: weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Every match is a little different — communication is key.

If you are part of a matched buddy pairing, let your buddy know.

Then, visit out volunteer page and click, “Update Preferences” so we can apir your buddy with someone new! Thank you for being apart of this community.

If you have not yet been paired, you can simply fill out the form.

If you’re part of a Grocery Buddy Group, we’ll connect you with the other Buddies before connecting you with your neighbor.
Your group can decide whether to:

• Each send gifts individually to your neighbor, or

• Choose one point person to collect and send the total gift.

You’re also welcome to share payment confirmations within your group if that helps with accountability — we don’t require it.

No. You do not need to send payment confirmations, receipts, or updates to MKE Grocery Buddy. Once you’re matched, it’s up to you and your grocery buddy (or group) to coordinate directly.

You cannot make a direct donation to MKE Grocery buddy as we are not a 501©3 and do not handle/hold any funds. We are simply a group of volunteers who are setting up DIRECT COMMUNITY AID between neighbors which means costs associated with being a grocery buddy are not tax deductible. 

However, due to high demand for support, we have opened a form for “one-thyme buddies” to provide immediate, direct support as we work to match our neighbors with long-term buddies.