News : Summer Food Basket program involved BCVP and many other organizations

Angle Jones, Marsha Johnson, Jackson Johnson, Sally Donald (BCVP loves all ages of volunteers)

Alice Stramer, Benton County Food Pantry President, helps with the basket program.

Volunteers Assist in Assembling and Distributing Food Baskets

By Charmaine Wickwire, Executive Director

Once again Benton County pulled together to provide for its own in a Summer Food Basket collaboration between the Benton County Volunteer Program, Benton County Food Pantry, Benton Community and Belle Plaine Schools and many individual volunteers. Volunteers included a group from the Van Horne Lions Club.

It's summertime, children are home from school and families find it a bit more difficult to stretch their food budget dollars.

Summer Food Baskets with over sixty items per basket were provided to anyone in need. Along with families, individuals and the elderly were recipients.

The Benton County Volunteer Program facilitated this project by sending applications home through the Benton Community and Belle Plaine Community School Districts and making applications available at the Benton County Volunteer Program office, 1309 5th Avenue, Belle Plaine.

The food items were provided by the Benton County Food Pantry through SHARE, Iowa food distribution program and through the Belle Plaine Food Pantry.

Working together provided an opportunity to reach as many people in need as possible. Forty-three baskets served 193 individuals in seven Benton County communities. Forty volunteers helped assemble and distribute food baskets. Thank you, one and all!