News : Homelessness in Vinton: Area group helping seven 2015 graduates

For the past year, an informal group of area women has been helping those in need. They began the mobile food pantry about a year ago, and have been trying to help local graduates who don’t have the support at home that most enjoy.

Last year, the informal organization – which does not have a charter, by-laws or even a name – helped two VS graduates who they identified as independent or homeless. This year, they are helping seven such students.

The group helps organize graduation parties for these seniors, and offers assistance with things they will need for college or living on their own. One of the women works at Rockwell, which has helped with donations laptop computers. Other local businesses, including Clickstop, and organizations have also helped.

"We have homeless and independent teenagers in our school and community," says VS Superintendent Mary Jo Hainstock. "Many of them have an interest in completing their high school education and pursuing post-secondary training or education but it can be a challenge as they struggle to find a safe place to stay, food to eat, and pay for other bills that most 17 or 18-year-olds don’t have. It is great that we have a group of community people stepping up to help them as well as many local businesses and individuals who are contributing financially."

The list of items the group hopes to collect includes:

2 queen size bed frames

1 queen size mattress

2 queen size bedding sets

2 love seats or living room chairs

1 sofa

1 futon

2 dressers

3 toasters

4 microwaves

2 dorm refrigerators

Tableware, glasses, storage containers (for food)

4 Bathroom rugs

Towels (we'll need about 28 total)

Personal hygiene products

Cleaning supplies

Some of the homeless graduates are aging out of the foster care system, which only serves them through age 18. Others have been abused or abandoned by their parents.

The same group meets regularly to plan the monthly mobile food pantry, which takes place at the HACAP center on the second Saturday of each month. Approximately 50 families participate in this program, which relies on donations along with items from the HACAP center in Cedar Rapids.

For more information about either of these two efforts, call Erin Monaghan at 319.241.1817 or email Barb Rego at barrego@aol.com.