A note to volunteers by Caleb Borden, Volunteer Coordinator

I wanted to give an update about what is happening in the month of November. Many of you know that SNAP Benefits are not being given while the government is shut down. A lot of people are asking what that means for the food pantry and more importantly what they can do to help. The outpouring of support has been incredible. Every day we are receiving phone calls asking how to donate, how to volunteer, what can be done. For as dark as the world seems to be sometimes, it truly brings me hope that we live in a community that cares so much. 

1) What does losing SNAP mean for the food pantry? 

According to the Iowa Hunger Coalition, 270,000 Iowan’s rely on SNAP to put food on the table for their families. 4,500 of those live right here in Johnson County! This will mean a dramatic increase in the number of families shopping at the food pantry. We are also already seeing an increased number of donations coming through the door. 

2) What can you do to help?

Donate. Donate. Donate. Please consider donating not just physical items and monetary donations but also your time and your energy. We will need help processing the donated items and ensuring that each volunteer station runs smoothly during the shopping hours. Every volunteer hour matters a great deal to us and we appreciate everything that volunteers do. 

Please also remember that we not only have opportunities to volunteer at the food pantry but we also have mobile pantry and delivery signs-up available. Many people do not have the ability to get here and we want to ensure that we get them the food that they need, as well. 

3) What is the food pantry doing to prepare for such a dramatic increase in numbers? 

We are increasing the number of volunteer slots available to increase the number of volunteers that we have on each shift. 

We are collaborating with other food networks in our area to work together to ensure that families are getting the assistance that they need. 

With the financial donations that we have received so far, we have been able to place an extra order of food for this month. We are hoping that these monetary donations continue so that we are able to place additional orders throughout the crisis. 

There is a lot of uncertainty about what is going to happen and this can lead to anxiety, stress, and anger. If anyone would ever like to talk, our doors are always open. We also have resources, and counselors available. Please remember to treat every shopper that comes through our doors with dignity and respect. We may have a lot of first time shoppers that are sensitive, scared or embarrassed about having to shop here. We want to provide as normal of a shopping experience for them as possible. 

We see so many people on a daily basis that it is easy to focus on the crowd over the individual person that is shopping. I would encourage everyone to take a little time out of their volunteer shift to speak with someone that is shopping and get to know them. This can be a great reminder of why we do what we do and what makes this place so special. This place runs the best when volunteers and shoppers work together.

We appreciate all of your hard work and dedication to supporting your neighbors and helping to fight hunger.