The Marshall County Food Access Committee, which was formed in 2023, has been leading the fight in ensuring residents are not without healthy food.

Consisting of members from throughout the county, they meet every few months to plan on ways to navigate current or upcoming hurdles and share resources and tips on ways to get food to more people.

The task is not easy as more people are dealing with food insecurity. The Emergency Food Box has seen an increase in need, feeding 600 families or 2,000 people each month. According to the Iowa Hunger Coalition website, in January 3,585 Marshall County residents were using SNAP. That number does not include people who make too much money to qualify for the federal food program, but still struggle to purchase the increasing cost of groceries. The members of the Food Access Committee work together and share resources to make sure everyone can put food on their table.

A significant hurdle the committee had to overcome was the loss of the United States Department of Agriculture Summer EBT program. Gov. Kim Reynolds made the decision to opt out of the $29 million program and replaced it with Healthy Kids Iowa. With Healthy Kids Iowa, the Emergency Food Box and the Salvation Army fed 1,400 kids each month during the summer. Volunteers provided each child a box of healthy food — proteins, produce, dairy and whole grains — valued at $40. Families were only able to pick up food once per month, and pickup or delivery was not available.

One shared resource amongst committee members is produce from 11 community gardens run by Master Gardeners. That produce is taken to the Extension pantry, the House of Compassion or the Emergency Food Box.

Another resource that is shared are gift cards to be spent in grocery stores. People who operate the little food pantries throughout the county, of which there are more than 20, are given the cards to keep the pantries stocked. At meetings, operators of pantries at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and Hope United Methodist Church said people are usually waiting whenever they bring food out.

Within Marshalltown, little pantries are located at:

• First Presbyterian Church, 101 S. Center St.;

• Grace Church, 110 N. Second St.;

• Hope United Methodist Church, 2203 S. Third Ave.;

• St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 201 E. Church St.;

• Elim Church, 302 W. Church St.;

• First United Church of Christ, 202 S. Fourth Ave.;

• Marshall County Extension Office, 2608 S. Second St.

Other Marshall County pantries are located at:

• Albion Library, 400 N. Main St., Albion;

• Clemons Clippers 4-H Club;

• Ferguson Bible Church, 395 Second St., Ferguson;

• Gilman Library, 106 N. Main St., Gilman;

• Green Mountain United Church of Christ, 403 Woolston St., Green Mountain;

• Haverhill Memorial Park, 105 Main St., Haverhill;

• Highway 14, Laurel;

• LeGrand Little League Field, 502 W. Julien St., LeGrand;

• South of Liscomb City Hall, 201 Main St., Liscomb;

• New Horizons Methodist Church, 224 Main St., Melbourne;

• Rhodes United Methodist Church, 324 N. Marietta St., Rhodes;

• St. Paul Lutheran Church, 605 First St. N, State Center.

Knowing the population of Marshall County is very diverse, the committee has also placed focus on providing more ethnic foods. The Emergency Food Box is working with local Hispanic and Asian grocery stores to determine and provide commonly purchased items.