The Food Bank of Iowa is rolling out its first-ever mobile food pantry today to offer its services to needy clients in dozens of communities across central Iowa. Stacy Olson, spokeswoman for the Des Moines-based facility, says they’re experimenting with the food bank on wheels so more hungry Iowans can be reached.
“It is the first one that we’re doing in the Food Bank of Iowa’s service area,” Olson says. “We have a 42-county service area which covers the central portion of the state. A mobile food pantry is just a one-day distribution of food that’s provided to communities to help meet the needs of their residents.”
She says the mobile food pantry’s first stop is the Stanhope Community Center in Hamilton County. “We’re definitely trying to expand out of the Des Moines metro area to serve those counties and those communities that don’t have access to come to Des Moines as easily,” Olson says. “We know that there are struggling people there and we want to get the food to where it is most needed.”
More stops are planned in communities including: Kamrar, Stratford, Jewell, Ellsworth and Randall. For more information, visit: www.foodbankiowa.org
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City