The North Liberty Community Pantry is petitioning the city to help fund a new facility, citing the exponential increase in pantry visits and lack of space as a result of maintaining adequate stock to keep up with rising demand.
At the council’s April 23 meeting, Community Pantry director Ryan Bobst said the pantry served 930 families in 2023, almost ¾ of whom were North Liberty residents.
“That represents a 69% increase in just a two year time period,” he said.
Inflation, rising costs of basic goods and services such as housing, health care and transportation, food costs, stagnant wages and the expiration of pandemic-era food assistance benefits have all been factors in the increase of pantry visits, he said.
“The need in the community has never been greater, and unfortunately we continue to see that need continuing to rise,” he told the council. The pantry transitioned from
being a supplementary source of food before the COVID-19 pandemic to the primary source of food for more than 80% of the families served, he said in a news release.
In trying to keep up with the demand for food and clothing, space has become limited in the 2,800-square-foot building. Pallets of food expand into the warehouse aisles, and the 370-cubic-foot freezer is filled to the brim.
“Right now, we are stuffed beyond capacity and distribute so much food that nothing has a chance to collect dust,” Mr. Bobst said, in an email to the CBJ.
On April 26, Community Pantry closed on a three acre lot at 350 W. Penn St. and has plans to build a 10,500 square-foot building, which will bring the food and clothing pantries under one roof.
“The acquisition of this land marks a new chapter in the alleviation of food insecurity for our community. This new space is a commitment to and from our community that says, ‘We are here for each other.’ This new land and future building will give us the best opportunities to ensure that everyone in the community gets the food and clothing they
need, no matter the circumstance,” said Beau Brown, NLCP Board Member and Co-Chair of NLCP’s Building Committee, in a news release.
The extra land also means the organization can expand its garden and plan for a greenhouse or hoop house in order to grow food during winter months, and the city is considering its request to develop access from the North Liberty Recreational Trail across Penn Street so visitors can safely walk and bike to the pantry.
“(The trail) goes through the service corridor as well – Ranshaw House, the North Liberty Library and Rec Center are very close,” said Mr. Bobst.
The pantry’s existing building belongs to First United Methodist church and the organization will work with the church board and parishioners on a plan for the building once they vacate, he said.
The total cost of the project is $3 million, and the pantry is seeking a $100,000 commitment from the city. If funding is secured, it will be the first major gift in the pantry’s campaign, said Mr. Bobst, which officially kicks off this summer, coinciding with the new construction.
At the council meeting, city administrator Ryan Heiar said he was inclined to focus on the building funding for now and come back to the Penn Street trail crossing financing at a later date, when more is known about the design and cost.
“We can bring an agreement back as early as May 14, if the group wants to make a commitment to the pantry somewhat soon,” he told the council.
Council member Brent Smith suggested pledging $150,000 in ARPA funds for the project, depending on the cost of the trail.
“I’m more apt to give a little more than what they’re asking,” he said, citing the pantry’s funding campaign and the percentage of the city ask.
“We have a community that is very giving, and has done so in the past,” he said, referencing the city’s Next Stage campaign.
Moving forward, the pantry will be working with the city on finalizing site plans, which will take approximately four weeks, said Mr. Bobst, after which they will submit a construction plan. Construction is estimated to begin in June and will take about six months.
“Our intention is to try and move as safely and quickly as possible,” he said.
