News : Belle Plaine Food Pantry continues serving southern Benton Co. residents

Dignity and respect is given to clients whom accesses the food pantries of Benton County, whether it is the northen half of the county at Vinton, or southern half at Belle Plaine. Screening is done at HACAP, with wages of the individual or family, to determine eligibility. Declaration of current eligibility is needed at pick up time. Election of officers took place at the quarterly meeting, held in Belle Plaine, on Monday February 1, 2016. Alice Stramer, Watkins, is board president, Mary Lou Jacobi, Atkins, is vice president, secretary is Jan Logan, Van Horne, and treasurer is John Whitson, Vinton. There are also other board members from Belle Plaine, Norway, Keystone, Newhall, and Blairstown. These individuals represent the needy people of the towns and rural areas of Benton County. Curators of the pantries are Philis Kurriger, taking over for Don McKinney, at Belle Plaine, and Linda Wood, in Vinton. They are flanked by several assistants, or board members, who keep the pantry shelves stocked. In 2015, the Vinton pantry served 2,089 clients. Numbers change depending on the weather, but household and numbers of adults, children, and seniors are recorded. Generally, there are around 100 persons served each month at each pantry location. The BCFP takes donations and spends the monies on nutritional boxed or canned foods, milk program at schools, some backpacks, "SHARE" Thanksgiving baskets, Thanksgiving vouchers, personal hygiene items, frozen meats, and other foods and products. Volunteers bring day old bakery items, and farmers share eggs or garden goods. The Belle Plaine Food Pantry is open every Tuesday, from 1:30 p.m. until 4. It is located in the next building south of the Lincoln Cafe, or across the street from the City Hall. The Vinton Food Pantry is open on Tuesday and Friday, or by appointment, through HACAP, across from street on the west side of the Benton County Court House. All donations should be sent to : BCFP P.O. Box 3 Vinton, IA. 52349, and are appreciated.