The City of Kalona is looking at expanding their efforts to provide supplemental food to those in need.

On Thanksgiving, the City’s “Pop Up Pantry” distributed about 200 boxes of food to people in and around the Kalona area. City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh says they were helped in their efforts thanks to 9,000 pounds of food from the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP) as well as items donated by local businesses. The city has scheduled another distribution for Saturday, December 19th from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. He says it’s allowed them to assist area food banks serve more people facing food insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, “What we heard was there was even more need than what their traditional consistent framework was, so we tried to supplement that so that individuals have another resource. We also tried to make it so there weren’t a lot of questions asked. If someone needed a box of food, we provided that box of food with no income verification, no ID needed.”

Schlabaugh says public response to their efforts has been so great, that through donations, the city right now should have about $8,500 in funds after the December 19th pop up pantry to expand their efforts.  He says Kalona will work with the City of Wellman to develop a program that includes providing seniors in need with regular hot meals. He says they hope to roll that out after Christmas.