​​Northeast Iowa Food Pantry receives help from Charles City Renewables​

The first Wednesday of every month, you can find Valero Renewables Charles City employees distributing food boxes at the Floyd County Fairgrounds Enrichment Center in Charles City, Iowa. Sponsored by the Northeast Iowa Food Bank (NEIFB), the mobile food distribution is one of several events in Floyd County that helps those facing food insecurity in the community.

On distribution day, the food bank can deliver up to 10,000 pounds of food on pallets. Volunteers arrive early to set up tables and stations inside the center, unbox the food, and divide and sort everything. Another group bags items and loads grocery carts used to transport donations to clients outside, while others help direct traffic. Volunteers stay after the distribution to break down boxes, clean tables and sweep the floors.

An estimated 175 to 200 people drive through the distribution to receive frozen meat, fruit, vegetables and household/pantry items, which translates to 50-55 pounds for each family. If there are extra food items they are given to other local agencies, with the goal to have nothing left at the end of the night.

What started as a simple invitation to volunteer for the NEIFB mobile food distribution during last year's event United Way kickoff, has turned into a regular volunteer event Charles City employees.