Free Little Pantry at Presbyterian Church in Marshalltown

Submitted by Michelle Wilkinson

The little pantry outside the church

In 2023, responding to Jesus’ call to Peter, and through him, the church, to “Feed my sheep,” (John 21:17) the Missions and Evangelism Committee of First Presbyterian Church in Marshalltown, working with the church’s Property Committee, decided to establish a free little pantry on the corner of the church’s parking lot. The church is on a main street downtown, so there is a lot of foot traffic across its property in addition to the vehicle traffic driving by.  Food has been an important part of the church’s ministry and identity, especially since the 2018 tornado when the church served a free homemade evening meal to anyone who needed one for a month amounting to more than 6,000 meals. The church also had a food and supply pantry for some time following the storm, but as the town recovered it was closed. Yet, there is persistent need in the community, and with increased grocery costs over the last few years, a growing number of people are food insecure. A free little pantry is a small way to help alleviate hunger. It takes a lot for someone to ask for help, and accepting a bag of food from someone else is humbling. A free little pantry provides people with a way to meet their needs while preserving their dignity. When they are back on their feet, they can add items of their own to the pantry – anonymously if they wish.

Property Committee members setting the post for the little pantry

The little pantry was constructed and placed by members of the Property Committee with the help of plans and materials from a Marshall County Extension Office grant. A Mission Partnership Grant from North Central Iowa Presbytery helped with grocery supplies and the purchase of a wagon to collect and transport donations. The first food items were placed in the box November 15, 2023. In the year since then, over 3,200 items were donated directly to the pantry by individuals and families. An additional 435 items were donated from other sources, not including Meals from the Heartland bagged meals and Pantry Pack boxes. The Mission Partnership Grant has helped purchase canned goods to make complete recipes such as vegetable rice and taco rice, from the Meals from the Heartland bagged meals. The recipes were developed by the county extension office and are popular.

Full pantry

Each day the box is stocked with three meals and breakfast items. During the summer months and school holidays grant money helps purchase extra supplies since children are home and not getting school lunch every day. Donated gift cards and grant money help provide seasonal items for Thanksgiving and Christmas time.

The little pantry provides more than food. It also has Bibles (English and Spanish) and the church cookbook for people to take. Personal care items are also stocked when available. Notices about summer feeding programs and food assistance for adults are posted inside as well.

The Marshalltown First Presbyterian Church has supported the little pantry in many ways. Volunteers put the food out, attend local food security meetings, purchase and package recipe items, and of course, donate items, including their garden produce. One gentleman picks up the pantry’s weekly day-old bread allotment. The congregation has responded faithfully and generously to food drives for the Superbowl, Cy-Hawk football game, and the pantry’s anniversary. The top five item categories donated the first year are breakfast, including breakfast bars, pop tarts, oatmeal packets and cereal; ramen and rice or noodle side dishes; canned beans and vegetables; snacks, granola bars, and crackers; and tuna in cans or packets. The items most purchased are canned vegetables, pasta sauce, canned chicken, canned soup, and canned fruit and applesauce.

Wagon full of donated items

First Presbyterian Church has been blessed to be a blessing through the free little pantry and is thankful for the assistance received through the presbytery’s Mission Partnership Grant for 2024.

You can see more about the pantry here.