DES MOINES — The DNR has awarded $204,034 to 35 recipients in Food Storage Capacity grants, which helps organizations expand storage and cold storage of donated food items for distribution to food insecure Iowans.
Funding allows for the purchase of Energy Star refrigerators, Energy Star freezers and shelving. These eligible items make it possible to accept additional food donations and to properly store additional perishable and non-perishable food items for longer periods.
“Through the DNR grant, we have almost tripled our cold food storage capacity. With the ability to store significantly more fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat, we are able to increase our offerings of healthy and nutritious food to those in need,” said Claudia Rivera, Director of La Luz Centro Cultural in Hampton. “This has also already led to expanded partnerships with companies who donate milk, eggs, pork, and more. Without the DNR grant and the additional cold storage units, these community connections would not be possible.”
The increase in food storage capacity allows for well-rounded, nutritious meals for a greater number of Iowans.
“Fresh food is abundant right now thanks to the generous farmers and gardeners in our community and COVID relief programs,” said John Boller, Executive Director of the Coralville Community Food Pantry. “We are so grateful for the DNR Food Storage grant, which will allow us to take on more of this high-quality food and share the wealth with families who are really struggling right now.”
In addition, expanding food storage capacity helps reduce the amount of food reaching Iowa’s landfills.
“Without these improvements, many food pantries may have had to limit the amount of food a family or an individual could receive,” said Tom Anderson, with the DNR’s Financial and Business Assistance program. “Expanding their capacity for food storage not only addresses these limitations, but also helps reduce the amount of edible food being landfilled by having a place to store food and extending food shelf life.”
A brief summary of each grant award is available at iowadnr.gov/faba.
Grant recipients, listed alphabetically by town, include:
Ames: Salvation Army of Ames and Story County
$5,192 for refrigerator and freezer
Bellevue Bread Basket
$1,100 for upright freezer
Carroll: New Opportunities Inc.
$7,756 for refrigerators and shelving
Casey: A-C Food Pantry
$6,000 for refrigerator, freezer and shelving
Cedar Rapids: Area Substance Abuse Council
$10,000 for refrigerators
Cedar Rapids: Catherine McAuley Center
$10,000 for refrigerator and freezer
Cedar Rapids: CRV Food Pantry
$1,330 for refrigerator
Cedar Rapids: Olivet Neighborhood Mission
$4,000 for freezer merchandiser
Cedar Rapids: St. Mark’s United Methodist
$4,408 for freezer
Coralville Community Food Pantry
$8,000 for freezer and refrigerator
Decorah Community Food Pantry
$8,300 for freezers
Decorah: Northeast Iowa Community Action Corp
$5,845 for refrigerator and shelving
Des Moines: Eat Greater Des Moines
$10,000 for freezers, refrigerators and shelving
Des Moines: Food Bank of Iowa
$10,000 for additional cold storage at school pantries
Dubuque: Faith Temple United Pentecostal Church
$8,471 for walk-in freezer
Dubuque Food Pantry
$10,000 for walk-in cooler
Dubuque: St. Vincent de Paul
$5,000 for refrigerator merchandisers
Epworth: St. Patrick Parish
$1,495.86 for refrigerator
Hampton: La Luz Hispana
$5,398.60 for freezer and refrigerator
Iowa City: IC Compassion
$7,360 for freezer and refrigerator merchandiser
Iowa City: Domestic Violence Intervention Program
$8,176.92 for refrigerator and freezer
Jefferson: Greene County Christian Action Resource Center
$3,500 for a commercial freezer
Keosauqua Community Food Bank
$7,000 for refrigerator, freezer, shelving
Lake City: Opportunity Living
$10,000 for walk-in cooler
Lisbon: Southeast Linn Community Center
$3,000 for commercial refrigerator
Marion: Church of God
$10,000 for refrigerators
Marion: Churches of Marion
$4,000 for refrigerators and freezer
Olin Food Pantry
$2,000 for refrigerator and freezer
Perry: Hunger Free Dallas County
$10,000 for freezers, refrigerators and shelving
Rockwell City: South Central Calhoun School District
$1,200 for chest freezer and refrigerator
Iowa Falls: The Ruth Project
$1,000 for freezer
Waterloo: Hawkeye Community College
$4,474.56 for freezer, refrigerator and shelving
Waterloo: Presbyterian Pantry at Westminster
$3,038 for shelving units, freezers and refrigerator
Webster City: All Cultures Equal
$1,763 for refrigerator/freezer
West Union: Open Hands Pantry, North Fayette Valley Ministers Association $5,326 for refrigerator and chest freezer
Questions regarding the Food Storage Capacity Grant offering should be directed to Tom Anderson at tom.anderson@dnr.iowa.gov.