Staff of the North Liberty Community Pantry break ground on the nonprofit's new facility at 250 W. Penn St. on Oct. 1, 2024. CREDIT PARKER JONES
The North Liberty Community Pantry broke ground on its new facility at 350 W. Penn St. in North Liberty on Oct. 1. The pantry invited the community and its supporters to celebrate, marking the beginning of construction on the new 10,500-square-foot building. Amid rising food costs — up 28% since 2019 — and cuts to […]
The North Liberty Community Pantry broke ground on its new facility at 350 W. Penn St. in North Liberty on Oct. 1. The pantry invited the community and its supporters to celebrate, marking the beginning of construction on the new 10,500-square-foot building. Amid rising food costs — up 28% since 2019 — and cuts to food assistance programs, food insecurity has surged, leaving more families in need. The North Liberty Community Pantry (NLCP) has responded to the growing demand, serving 70% more families, distributing 103% more food, and handing out 454% more clothing over the past two years, according to a release from NLCP last week.“I don’t know if the church members who started a small pantry in a church closet in 1985 could've imagined how the North Liberty Community Pantry could have grown to meet the needs of our neighbors. But grown we have,” said NLCP Board Chair Micah Ariel James ahead of the groundbreaking. The pantry’s “Planting New Roots” capital campaign has a goal of $4 million to fund the new facility. Backers include the City of North Liberty, Dan Bernacki, Corda Credit Union, GreenState Credit Union, Dave and Rita Roberts, and South Slope Cooperative Communications, who each had representatives at the groundbreaking. When complete, the new building will house NLCP’s food and clothing resources, in a space almost four times the size of the current community pantry at 89 N. Jones Blvd. Construction on the new building is set to be complete by summer 2025After thanking those who helped make the new facility possible, including its volunteers and seven staff members, NLCP Executive Director Ryan Bobst encouraged anyone in attendance to grab an oversized kitchen utensil and move the first earth of the building’s construction. “A special thank you to the staff; not only have you worked tirelessly to feed and clothe our neighbors and connect them with other resources and services, but you've jumped in under impossibly difficult conditions,” Mr. Bobst said at the event. “Finally, thank you to the neighbors we serve. You greet us with smiles and are patient with us. We're excited to break ground on this new facility that will help us better serve you, and all of our neighbors.”
