One dollar can be turned into 10 meals for families who are food insecure, which means KCII is well on its way to helping area residents in need for its 19th annual Caring Christmas Food Drive.

The inaugural Day of Giving Radiothon conducted on air last week raised over $1,600 for the 10 food pantries we support in and surrounding Washington County. A new partner for this year’s drive is The Lighthouse Center in Washington, a homeless shelter that opened its food pantry at the beginning of 2020. In turn, the pantry’s response has been entirely colored by the COVID-19 pandemic, and founder Pastor Darren Brown says anyone is welcome to visit the pantry as often as they’d like, as long as they schedule an appointment at the center, “There’s a lot of food pantries that just don’t have the accessibility because they don’t have the manpower. We have the manpower because we’re at the shelter and we have staff on duty so there’s no reason why we can’t have accessibility to the food pantry. And that’s been a beautiful thing.”

The Lighthouse Center receives some of its food supply from Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, or HACAP, and they are always happy to receive donations of canned goods, boxed meals, hot dogs, or beef. They also often receive donations of diapers, tooth brushes, and other hygiene products. As the current lower-level location of the pantry is not ideal for all clients, Brown looks forward to the planned relocation of their center to West 5th Street which will include a handicap accessible and secure separate entrance for those in need of food and supplies. You can find information on how to schedule an appointment at the pantry here, or a link to donate to the Caring Christmas Food Drive here.