Northeast Iowa Food Bank ‘mobile pantry’ trucks back in Charles City on April 29

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank trucks will be back in Charles City again this month for a “mobile pantry” to distribute food to qualifying households.

The trucks from the Waterloo food bank will be at the Charles City High School parking lot from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29.

Pastor Debra Lincoln, who runs the Messiah Food Pantry in Charles City, which is currently closed because of coronavirus concerns, asked that people stopping for food observe these steps:

• Bring a picture ID.

• No more than two households in a car.

• Pull in at the end of the line.

• Have your vehicle’s trunk or rear door open and have the area cleaned out so food boxes can be placed there by the people from the food bank and local volunteers.

Lincoln asked that those attending please have “patience, patience, patience.”

Income guidelines to qualify for food assistance are gross monthly income of $1,666 for a one-person household; $2,256 for two persons; $2,845 for three persons; $3,434 for four persons; $4,024 for five persons; $4,613 for six persons; $5,202 for seven persons; $5,792 for eight persons; and $591 for each additional person in the household.

“If you are out of work during this time and have need of food, you may come too,” Lincoln said. “If you are unable to get transportation, we will have volunteers who will deliver your food after 1 p.m.”

Anyone who needs food delivered should call Pastor Lincoln at 641-257-1119 for this service.

Two Northeast Iowa Food Bank trucks stopped in Charles City on April 8 and distributed about 5,400 meals for 116 households. At that distribution people received cereal, staple dry goods, ready-to-drink meals and non-dairy milk; plus frozen fish sticks, pork loin, veggie fries and other items.

For assistance with an application for food assistance, call 855-944-FOOD (3663), email FoodAssistanceOutreach@iowafba.org, or apply online at www.oasis.iowa.gov.