The Boone DMACC Food Pantry has come a long way from what it was. From a random cupboard under a staircase, to what students and staff called ‘The Woods’ and now to a more open space to keep necessities and groceries for those in need. Of course, with Covid-19, open shopping isn’t quite available, but hand-packed bags of groceries are readily prepared.
It has come quite a ways in a short amount of time, possibly because of Covid-related struggles with folks finding themselves without a job or with reduced hours because of the virus, and needing to still maintain themselves and their family. The food pantry has gone a long way to make sure that those in need have a safe and secure option to turn to when in need.
Some things that the food pantry have are not only shelf items like boxed mac and cheese and peanut butter, but several grants have allowed them to be able to buy more than just non perishable items, like eggs, cheese, and a variety of frozen things like different meats. The food pantry has definitely grown since its founding, especially with support from the DMACC Foundation and partnering with the Food Bank of Iowa for more reach and availability.
Erin Neumann works with the food pantry, but also with Boone campus’ Student Services. She helps coordinate both student and community resources. Other than being a contact for the food pantry, she works with things such as financial aid support, and general student services.
The pantry is open to everyone. Even if people don’t need the resources now, it can be useful for future reference or for friends in need. While the Food Bank of Iowa does require a small questionnaire formー an address and how many people are in the householdー whether or not there are financial problems or needs, does not determine eligibility.
This Friday, March 19, from 2-3 p.m. at the Boone Campus Courter Center, the food pantry is planning an event for students to stock up their shelves, fridges, and freezers. The pantry offers a wide variety of food including,
· ice cream
· frozen pizza
· meat
· milk
· eggs
· produce
· cereal
· baked goods & shelf-stable foods
· cooking oil and spices
For more information, contact Erin Neumann via email: eaneumann@dmacc.edu, her office number: 515-433-5037, or via Google Voice at: 515-635-1222.