FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Opportunity Wisconsin wraps up back-to-school supply drives as rising costs squeeze Wisconsin families

Drives in La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Kenosha collected supplies for local students as tariffs and Republican health care cuts stretch family budgets thin

MADISON, Wis. — Opportunity Wisconsin last week wrapped up back-to-school supply drives in La Crosse, Eau Claire, Kenosha, and Mt. Pleasant, collecting over 100 backpacks, and dozens of school supplies, snacks, and other materials for local students as families across the state struggle with rising costs driven by tariffs and Republican cuts to health care.

The drives, run in partnership with Climate Power, Americans for Healthy Families, the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), and the Eau Claire Hmong PTA, collected pencils, pens, notebooks, backpacks, and other classroom essentials at drop-off locations across all three communities. Community members stepped up throughout August to help ease the burden on families struggling with back-to-school costs, after months of paying more at the checkout thanks to policies backed by Reps. Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden.

Back-to-school shopping has grown noticeably more expensive this year. Back-to-school supplies saw an average price increase of 7.3% because of Republican-backed tariffs, with the cost of some essential items climbing even higher. On top of higher costs for these items, the Republican Tax Law has also sent healthcare costs soaring, forcing families to pay more of their hard-earned money for coverage and care.

Last week the challenges of back-to-school season were apparent as Opportunity Wisconsin hosted a roundtable where parents, educators, and local lawmakers gathered to discuss the rising cost of school supplies and its strain on family budgets.

"No parent should have to choose between buying their kid a backpack and paying their health insurance premium, but that's the reality Republicans in Congress have created for families across Wisconsin," said Meghan Roh, Program Director of Opportunity Wisconsin. "We're proud of every community member who showed up this month to help lighten that load, but generosity shouldn't have to fill the gap left by Republicans' own policy choices."

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ICYMI: Onalaska roundtable addresses rising back-to-school costs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

ICYMI: Onalaska roundtable addresses rising back-to-school costs

Parents, educators and State Rep. Tara Johnson said families are being squeezed by rising costs as Congress fails to act

ONALASKA, Wis. — In case you missed it, yesterday Opportunity Wisconsin, Family Friendly WI, and Americans for Healthy Families hosted a roundtable in Onalaska, where parents, educators and State Rep. Tara Johnson discussed the rising cost of getting kids back to school and the toll federal Republican policy is taking on family budgets. Participants discussed how tariffs are driving up costs on everyday supplies, and parents described the broader financial strain of preparing children for the school year.

Recent reports show that school supply costs have increased 8 percent since last year. Parents and educators shared firsthand how those rising costs are affecting their families and classrooms, even as Rep. Van Orden and Republicans in Congress push policies that squeeze household budgets further.

News 8000 (WKBT): "Onalaska roundtable addresses rising back-to-school costs"

• Parents, school staff and elected officials gathered in Onalaska Tuesday for a back-to-school roundtable focused on rising costs and uncertainty linked to federal cuts.
   

• "'A lot of times it is just bottled ideas or tweets in the wind, and I really believe that we all have a responsibility to take care of children,” said Sydney Grimes, a parent of an Onalaska student.
   

• Reports show back-to-school shopping costs have increased 8% since last year.

WIZM: "From parents to lawmakers, concern about rising school costs is discussed at an Onalaska roundtable"

• Sending kids to public schools in Wisconsin means more families are under a strain to pay for all the supplies that students need.
   

• State Rep Tara Johnson and the group Opportunity Wisconsin have called on Congress to find ways to reduce the cost of supplies…mainly by reducing Republican-sponsored tariffs. Johnson spoke in Onalaska Tuesday, at a news conference blaming GOP leadership for contributing to price increases. She says for entry into school, kids need physicals, and if you pay a high deductible, “your out-of-pocket (expenses) for five kids would be hundreds and hundreds of dollars, at a minimum.”
   

• Long-time La Crosse teachers union leader John Havlicek says critics of programs such as school lunch don’t seem to have empathy for families that struggle. “There’s some kind of a judgement mentality on people’s part, that if you can’t afford lunch, that’s your fault,” says Havlicek.

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Van Orden refuses to participate in La Crosse and Eau Claire town hall meetings this week to answer questions from constituents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, AUGUST 24, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Van Orden refuses to participate in La Crosse and Eau Claire town hall meetings this week to answer questions from constituents

Van Orden’s staff refuses the invitation, writing, “I’m genuinely sorry that so much of your time and energy seems to revolve around hating my Derrick.”

LA CROSSE and EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Congressman Derrick Van Orden has officially declined an invitation from constituents to appear at in-person town hall meetings this week in La Crosse and Eau Claire, refusing to answer for the cost his votes in Congress have placed on working families across Western Wisconsin. Opportunity Wisconsin, local lawmakers, and community leaders will still host the event to give his constituents an opportunity to speak out.

In an email exchange in response to the invitation, Congressman Van Orden’s communications director accused organizations inviting him to the event of “Derrick Derangement Syndrome” and closed the email by saying, “I’m genuinely sorry that so much of your time and energy seems to revolve around hating my Derrick.”

"Congressman Van Orden could have put Wisconsin families first, instead, he has voted time and again for policies that are sending costs higher and making it tougher for them to afford basic necessities," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Because of his votes on tariffs, an endless war, and on a tax law that cuts health care and takes food from working people to give more tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy, families are paying thousands more each year. He owes constituents an answer, but is once again hiding behind insults instead of being honest about his record."

Van Orden has voted for costly tariffs that are driving up everyday costs, voted to continue the ongoing war in Iran, and backed the Republican Tax Law that showered billionaires and big corporations with tax breaks while gutting Medicaid and food assistance. These votes have left the average American family paying a Republican Price Tag of roughly $3,500 a year — in higher grocery, gas, healthcare, and everyday costs.

Van Orden has repeatedly refused to hold in-person town halls as a member of Congress. Wednesday's invitation gives him a direct opportunity to answer for the Republican Price Tag Wisconsin families are paying because of decisions made in Washington.
Members of the public who are interested in attending may RSVP here for La Crosse and here for Eau Claire.

La Crosse Town Hall

WHO:
Congressman Derrick Van Orden (declined)
State Rep. Tara Johnson
Opportunity Wisconsin
Community Action Wisconsin
Climate Power
Family Friendly Wisconsin
Main Street Action
Protect Our Care
Committee To Protect Healthcare
Americans for Good Policy 

WHEN: Tuesday, August 25th, 4:30 PM

WHERE: La Crosse Public Library, Main Level Auditorium (Auditorium A), 800 Main St, La Crosse, WI

RSVP: Media interested in covering the town hall should RSVP to press@opportunitywisconsin.org.

Eau Claire Town Hall

WHO:
Congressman Derrick Van Orden (declined)
Opportunity Wisconsin
Community Action Wisconsin
Climate Power
Family Friendly Wisconsin
Main Street Action
Protect Our Care
Committee To Protect Healthcare
Americans for Good Policy

WHEN: Wednesday, August 26th, 6:00 PM

WHERE: Menomonie Market Food Co-op, 206 N Barstow St., Eau Claire

RSVP: Media interested in covering the town hall should RSVP to press@opportunitywisconsin.org. 
 

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Kenosha families rally at free BBQ to demand Rep. Steil lower costs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Kenosha families rally at free BBQ to demand Rep. Steil lower costs

Community members highlighted the $3,500 "Republican Price Tag" facing Wisconsin families thanks to votes by Steil and Republicans in Congress

KENOSHA, Wis. — This weekend, Opportunity Wisconsin hosted a free community BBQ at Anderson Park in Kenosha, bringing together local residents, advocates, and community leaders to highlight how Rep. Bryan Steil's votes in Congress are driving up costs for working families.

Attendees heard directly from community members about the real-world toll of rising costs, from grocery bills to health care, as Steil's votes on the Republican Tax Law and tariffs continue to squeeze family budgets. According to the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, the average American household is now paying an estimated $3,500 more annually for health care, food, energy, and other basic needs.

April Guenther, Food Services Director at The Shalom Center in Kenosha, spoke about the rising cost of food and the growing number of families turning to the Center for help.
"The reason why I came today is to speak to the rising food costs and how Shalom Center can be a resource to you all in the midst of what's going on in our government and our current circumstances right now," said Guenther. "Food costs are rising. People have to make decisions about whether or not they're going to have food or necessities, and at the Shalom Center, we are doing our very best to provide everybody with those basic human needs."

"Every week, families across Kenosha are having to choose between groceries and other basic needs. That's not an accident, it's the direct result of the votes Rep. Steil has taken in Washington," said Meghan Roh, Program Director of Opportunity Wisconsin. "He voted for the largest Medicaid cuts in our nation's history, he's voted to protect tariffs that are raising prices at the grocery store, and he still hasn't acted to bring back the health care tax credits that are spiking premiums for working families."

Opportunity Wisconsin will host additional “Republican Price Tag” events across the state in the coming weeks as part of a nationwide campaign to demand Congress act to lower costs.

ICYMI: Medicaid is my lifeline. New federal rule could take it away

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

ICYMI: Medicaid is my lifeline. New federal rule could take it away

Racine County woman with chronic illnesses calls on Steil and Republicans in Congress to speak out as the Trump administration writes rule that could strip Medicaid coverage

 
RACINE, Wis. — A new op-ed from a Racine County woman living with multiple chronic illnesses highlights the importance of protecting Medicaid as the Trump administration finalizes a new rule that could strip coverage away from seriously ill Wisconsinites.
 
Emma Rose Widmar, who has relied on Medicaid for nine years to manage conditions including Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, writes that losing coverage would mean losing the medication, treatment and caregivers that keep her alive.
 
Rep. Bryan Steil has remained silent on the new Medicaid rule, which would force seriously ill Wisconsinites, including those with cancer or HIV, to work or lose coverage. The public comment period on the rule closed at the end of July, and healthcare professionals, patient advocacy organizations, and Medicaid recipients have spoken out urging the administration to modify the proposal. The rule is a response to the passage of the Republican Tax Law last year, which Steil voted for, and the largest Medicaid cut in history that was included in the legislation.
 
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Opinion: Medicaid is my lifeline. New federal rule could take it away

• I was an elite volleyball player. I was in half a dozen extracurriculars. And then, as a teenager, my body started failing me in ways doctors couldn't explain for years.
   

• Eventually I got answers: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Hereditary Angioedema, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, neuropathy, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, and after everything my illnesses put me through, Complex PTSD. I went from a kid who did everything to a disabled adult child who relies on others just to get through the day.
   

• I am 27. For nine years, Medicaid has been the reason I have been able to survive.
   

• In 2020, the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Racine County estimated my medications alone cost $2 million a year. Today, even with Medicaid, my out-of-pocket costs still run about $15,000 a year. Without it, my family would be looking at bankruptcy, or worse.
   

• I know how fragile all of this is. I know that the line between "healthy enough to work" and "too sick to survive without help" isn't always as clean as it looks on paper, and that people with cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, and other serious conditions are having to prove, over and over, that they're sick enough to deserve care. That should never be the bar. No one should have to fight this hard just to stay alive.
   

• That's why a new federal rule moving through the Trump administration right now should worry every Wisconsinite who depends on Medicaid or who loves someone who does. Republicans are taking away Medicaid coverage from people who are already sick, and they're doing it to help pay for tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.
   

• Rep. Bryan Steil voted for the Republican tax law that already cut Medicaid by the largest amount in our nation's history. Now this administration is writing the fine print on how those cuts get carried out. Patients, healthcare professionals, and advocacy organizations across the country spoke out against this rule change during the public comment period, but Steil remained silent and refused to stand up for his constituents who rely on Medicaid.

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Opportunity Wisconsin and community partners launch back-to-school supply drives across the state as tariffs and health care cuts squeeze family budgets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

Opportunity Wisconsin and community partners launch back-to-school supply drives across the state as tariffs and health care cuts squeeze family budgets

Drives in La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Kenosha will collect school supplies for local families as Republican tariffs and health care cuts drive up costs 

As Wisconsin families prepare to send their kids back to school, Opportunity Wisconsin is launching back-to-school supply drives in La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Kenosha to help ease the burden of rising costs driven by Republican-backed tariffs and cuts to health care.

The drives, running throughout August in partnership with Climate Power, the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC), Americans for Healthy Families, and the Hmong PTA in Eau Claire, will collect pencils, black pens, highlighters, printer paper, binders, notebooks, tissues, hand sanitizer, and backpacks for students in each community.

Donations may be made at the following locations throughout August:

• La Crosse: August 13 – August 30. Drop off at Larson's General, 509B Main St, La Crosse, WI 54601, or Pearl Street Books, 323 Pearl St, La Crosse, WI 54601 (week of 8/24 only).
   

• Eau Claire:  August 1 – August 20. Drop off at Acoustic Cafe, 505 S Barstow St, Eau Claire, WI 54701.
   

• Kenosha and Mt. Pleasant: August 1 – August 28. Drop off at Union Park Tavern, 4520 8th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53140, or La Taquiza Guadalajara, 2343 Mead St, Mt. Pleasant, WI 53403.

Wisconsin families are facing a squeeze on multiple fronts this back-to-school season. Republican tariffs have driven up the price of everyday goods, including the very supplies kids need for the classroom, while the Republican Tax Law's health care cuts are expected to strip coverage from Wisconsinites and drive up costs. Republican cuts to SNAP are also squeezing families this back-to-school season as millions of children are expected to lose access to free school meals.

These policies are leaving families with even less room in their budgets to cover necessities as the average American household has had to pay $3,500 in extra costs this year because of policies passed by Republicans in Congress. Recent analysis found that pricing increases have driven up the cost of back-to-school shopping by 11 percent this year. 

"No parent should have to choose between buying their kid a backpack and paying their health insurance premium, but that's the reality Republicans in Congress have created for families across Wisconsin," said Meghan Roh, Program Director of Opportunity Wisconsin. "Tariffs are making everyday items like pencils and binders more expensive, and at the very same time, Republicans are ripping away health care from tens of thousands of Wisconsinites to pay for tax breaks for the ultrarich. We’re grateful to our partners and community members who are stepping up to make sure kids are ready for back-to-school this year.”
 

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Fact Check: Van Orden takes credit for Medicaid funding while ignoring the historic cuts he voted for

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Fact Check: Van Orden takes credit for Medicaid funding while ignoring the historic cuts he voted for

After voting for the largest Medicaid cuts in history, Van Orden is touting additional funding that’s a drop in the bucket, while staying silent on a new rule that will make seriously ill Wisconsinites work or lose benefits

LA CROSSE, Wis. — Just days before the anniversary of Medicaid being signed into law, Rep. Derrick Van Orden is touting an increase in the program’s funding for Wisconsin, claiming he spent "over a year" working with the Trump administration to secure it. 

What he's not telling WI-03 families: This is a drop in the bucket compared to the largest Medicaid cut in U.S. history that he voted for, and he has remained silent on a new rule that will force seriously ill Wisconsinites to work or lose their Medicaid coverage.

"Derrick Van Orden wants credit for funding Medicaid, but ignores the hundreds of billions that have been cut and the tens of thousands of Wisconsinites who will lose coverage because of his votes," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Wisconsin families who are facing skyrocketing costs for healthcare coverage see through it. They know this is too little, too late — and it's no substitute for actually fighting to protect Medicaid for the people he represents."

The Republican Tax Law that Van Orden voted for last year made the largest cut to Medicaid in U.S. history, slashing more than $900 billion from the program nationwide and putting rural hospitals at risk of closure. In Wisconsin alone, the law's Medicaid cuts are projected to cost the state $7 billion over the next decade, and an estimated 76,000 Wisconsinites are expected to lose health coverage overall as a result.

Van Orden has also been silent on a new Trump administration rule which will force patients with cancer, HIV, and other serious illnesses to show up to work or lose their Medicaid benefits. The public comment period on that rule closes this Friday, July 31, and coverage losses are set to begin January 1, 2027 if the rule is not changed. Van Orden has had an opportunity to speak out against it and has remained silent.

Making Van Orden’s claims even more disingenuous, the additional funding he is touting is actually due to changes made by the Wisconsin State Legislature and Governor Evers last year. At the time, Van Orden was also exposed for claiming credit and ignoring his votes to cut Medicaid.
 

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As Congress leaves for recess, Van Orden and Steil owe Wisconsinites answers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, JULY 24, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org 
 

As Congress leaves for recess, Van Orden and Steil owe Wisconsinites answers

Opportunity Wisconsin outlines questions constituents deserve answered before their members of Congress return to Washington

MADISON, Wis. — As Congress heads home for recess, Opportunity Wisconsin is calling on Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil to use the time in their districts to actually listen to constituents and to answer for the votes that have made life more expensive for Wisconsin families.

Both congressmen have spent the past year voting for tariffs, backing a war in Iran with no end in sight, and protecting the Republican Tax Law’s cuts to Medicaid and SNAP to help pay for tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations. Now, as they return home, Wisconsinites deserve real answers and accountability.

Opportunity Wisconsin is calling on Van Orden and Steil to answer the following questions from their constituents during recess:

1. The average American household has had to pay an additional $3,500 because of policies Republicans Congress has passed. How do you expect working families to afford this added burden?
    

2. Will you fight to stop the Trump administration's new Medicaid proposed rule, which could take away health coverage from Wisconsinites with cancer and other serious illnesses?
    

3. How will you support Wisconsin farmers who are being squeezed from every direction — as tariffs raise the cost of equipment and supplies, the war in Iran drives up diesel and fertilizer prices, and federal cuts add even more strain to family budgets?
    

4. The war in Iran has already cost taxpayers more than $37.5 billion, and this week you voted for a $95 billion package that includes tens of billions more to continue funding it. Why are you prioritizing an expensive foreign war over lowering costs for Wisconsin families?
    

5. Why have you prioritized massive new tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations, while cutting Medicaid, making it harder for Wisconsin families to afford groceries, and making it tougher for small businesses to succeed?

"Congressmen Van Orden and Steil have spent the last year voting again and again to raise costs on Wisconsin families while handing out tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Recess isn't a break from accountability, it's an opportunity for them to explain these votes to the people back home who are paying the price. Wisconsinites deserve real answers, not more excuses."

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