KCII continues to support area food pantries with our 19th annual Caring Christmas Food Drive, including one organization that supports the Washington County and surrounding area in a myriad of ways.

The Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, or HACAP, has operated a Washington location at the Orchard Hill complex for 40 years. Not only do they help supply area food pantries, but they have one themselves that has no income or other guidelines for recipients. Washington County Operations Director RenElla Crawford says that since the pandemic they do not allow people to come inside the pantry, but the public can contact her office to pick up a food box at the door. As HACAP has a larger purchasing power than the average consumer, Crawford says they appreciate monetary donations in addition to hands-on support, “We always need volunteers to help in our food pantry to stock the shelves and to sort food as it comes in. We don’t have any volunteers at this time. However the churches do take at least a month out of the year to help us box food which is very helpful and we really appreciate that.”

Among its programs the Washington County HACAP office provides a free Heads Start preschool program which currently has slots available. You can find HACAP’s contact information here as well as information on how to support HACAP and other food pantries during the Caring Christmas Food Drive.