Seven Years of Food Pantry Collaboration Brings in Donations
June 18, 2014
The Story County Food Pantry Collaboration engages representatives from 16 area food pantries in
quarterly meetings to educate staff and volunteers, coordinate efforts, and share best practices. The
collaboration began in the fall of 2007, when several food pantries requested the United Way of Story
County to provide a forum for discussion.
Discussion topics have included ideas for holiday food
distribution, food storage, insurance, and use of the
Food Bank of Iowa. Food pantries have also shared
information about other programs in Story County,
including sourcing fresh produce through Plant A Row
for the Hungry; providing clients with nutrition education
through Spend Smart, Eat Smart and a collaboration
with area Girl Scouts; and supporting clients to buy
discounted food using SHARE.
The Food Pantry Collaboration also allows the
community to take advantage of additional
opportunities to attract donations. In 2010, they
launched a partnership with Monsanto to collect donations at the semi-annual Farm Progress Show.
In 2012, over 10,000 pounds of food was collected through the Farm Progress Show, 4-H Clubs, and
Future Farmers of America chapters which brought in a $10,000 match from Monsanto. When The
Salvation Army opened a service corps and food pantry in 2012, Feed The Children asked if they
would coordinate a distribution site that would provide 400 boxes of food and 400 boxes of personal
items to individuals and families in need. The Food Pantry Collaboration enabled area food pantries
to successfully organize the effort in less than 6-weeks.
For more information on the Story County Food Pantry Collaboration, contact Shannon Bardole at
515-268-5142 or [email protected] or Jean Kresse at [email protected].
2014 World Food Prize Laureate Announced
On June 18, 2014, Dr. Sanjaya Rajaram was named the 2014 World Food Prize laureate for his
development of 480 varieties of wheat, bred to offer higher yields, resistance to catastrophic rust
disease, and that thrive in a wide array of climates. Dr. Rajaram succeeded Dr. Norman Borlaug in
leading CIMMYT’s wheat breeding program. His wheat varieties are grown by small- and large- scale
farmers in 51 countries on six continents. Dr. Rajaram will be honored in Des Moines on October 16,
2014.
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