Todays News

Food insecurity group tries to keep free pantries stocked during holidays

The holidays are here, and people are figuring out how to keep the free little food pantries in Marshall County stocked during this busy season.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Marshall County Director Amy Pieper asked people attending a food insecurity meeting on Wednesday if any food drives were upcoming. She said they are considering hosting a food drive competition between the Marshall County 4-H clubs.

Community Foundation of Marshall County Executive Director Julie Hitchins said the Rotary Club of Marshalltown conducts quarterly food collections.

The Emergency Food Box received a recent grant from Theisen's. Gary Fulton said he divided the grant in half and then provided gift cards to each little food pantry to help keep them stocked during the season -- particularly during the week between Christmas and New Year. Hitchins said during that week, the Salvation Army, the food box and the House of Compassion are all closed.

Pieper said the Extension does not have any more items for new food pantries.

"There are currently nine free little food pantries in Marshalltown," she said. "That includes the new one at First Presbyterian Church and a temporary one at Anson Elementary."

There will soon be another free little food pantry on Summit Street between 19th and 20th streets, built by Lenihan Intermediate School students. In addition, Pieper said Lenihan is also adopting the food pantry on Summit and Ninth streets, which was frequently empty.

"So Lenihan will be doing food drives there for the food to be put in those boxes," she said.

Inquiries into who is adopting food pantries is something Pieper said has occurred more often. She suggested the adoptions should be tracked.

"That might be a future project for the churches which aren't involved, seeing if they want to adopt one or something like that," Pieper said.

Extension Program Coordinator Chelsea Llewellyn completed a new webpage -- the Community Food System Program on the Marshall County Extension website -- dedicated to the little food pantries and meal programs. Pieper said information found on the website is ever changing and includes donation guidelines, such as healthy food items and expirations of food.

Also on the Extension website is a list of the Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD) food pantries.

Attending the Wednesday meeting was Anson Principal Ronnie Manis, who said the food pantry experience has gone quite well. A sign was placed in the outdoor pantry, directing people to call school personnel to access the indoor pantry.

"Our food pantry before the whole COVID thing happened actually did pretty well," he said. "We probably had 15 to 20 families per month who would use it. After COVID, we would get three. When I talked with the people at the Food Bank of Iowa, they said they were seeing that everywhere. We're still not that good. One thing to know about the pantries that the school district has is they are not just for our families in our buildings. They are community pantries. This seems to be working. Our numbers went up and it's the only different variable we have. For the end of November, we had 15 families use our pantry inside."

Manis said they have received food donations from Trinity Lutheran Church across the street. To make sure the shelves remain stocked, Manis uses a Food Bank of Iowa card, and he stressed that they are not placing chicken or tuna to avoid freezing. The pastas and sauces placed in the pantry do not last long, he said.

"When we first got it, we got two of the giant packs of Ramen noodles and they were gone in two days," Manis said. "It seems to be working. Our pantry does not cost us anything. We go through the Food Bank of Iowa. I order as needed. We've talked with other agencies. The other schools are fairly similar -- they don't get used a lot."

He believes the pantries in the schools are not used much because residents think they are only for students' families. That is not the case. Manis said occasionally they will send food home with students, but since they are in elementary school, they can't carry very much. Sometimes they reach out to families to see if help is needed, and that action has mostly been well received.

"I would love for us to be in a position where I would have to order every month," he said. "Right now, I probably order once every two or three months."

Pieper said after Anson is done with the temporary pantry, the Extension office will move it to a new location.

WINTER FOOD PANTRY ITEMS

Due to the colder temperatures, it is requested donors do not place metal or glass canned items in the food pantries.

• Peanut butter and jelly;

• Rice, dried beans, couscous or quinoa;

• Dry pasta;

• Pasta sauce;

• Cold or hot cereal;

• Snack crackers;

• Applesauce;

• Dried fruit;

• Granola bars;

• Tuna or chicken;

• Shampoo and conditioner;

• Soap;

• Toothpaste and toothbrushes;

• Lotion;

• Feminine products;

• Diapers and wipes;

• Deodorant;

• Chapstick;

• Hats, gloves, scarves;

• Hand warmers;

• Paper towels, toilet paper and facial tissue.

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Contact Lana Bradstream

at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or

lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.