By: Donovan W. Mann – [email protected]
Humboldt, IA – The Humboldt County Food pantry is moving to a new home in downtown Humboldt as they look to be able to better serve those in need.
The county’s food pantry will look to move this coming spring to 419 Sumner Avenue and is 3,7000 square feet in size. In late November the HCMA purchased the building for $40,000 which is set to be renovated during the next few months. This new building will operate as both the food pantry and the UDMO’s new office space.
The UDMO has handled the day-to-day operation of the food pantry for the past several years. The current set up has the office space in the Humboldt County Court House in Dakota City while the food pantry is located in a secondary roads building along Highway 3. Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc’s (UDMO) Outreach Director Alisa Schlief says that this is not a good long term solution.
By combining the UDMO office with the food pantry will always the organization to better serve the community. They will be able to increase the number of hourse the food pantry is available to the public. The new building also provides significantly more space which will allow for increased food capacity and use the building for other programs such as the Christmas baskets, coat drives and back to school supplies.
The new UDMO offices and food pantry will be handicap accessible. With it being in the Humboldt downtown area it will be more visible to the public.
The HCMA is looking to the community to help them raise $60,000 for the project. The funds raised would go towards the cost of purchasing the building and the remaining renovation costs. Donations can be made out to the Humboldt County Ministerial Association and mailed to PO Box 401 Humboldt, IA 50548. They ask that donors put “food pantry renovations in the memo.”
The UDMO and HCMA are excited for this opportunity to better serve the Humboldt County Community through their new downtown Food Pantry location.