Friends with Food

Friends with Food is a collaborative partnership of St Mark Lutheran Church, SALUD, FOOD BANK OF IOWA,  and other organizations and persons from the Storm Lake area who work together to offer a monthly food distribution to those who are permanently or temporarily homebound and without easy access to transportation. 


Distribution takes place on the 3rd Thursday of each month.  Volunteers from the area gathered together to unload the Food Bank of Iowa truck, set up packaging tables, bag groceries, and deliver the food to persons in need. Each month the need continues to grow. 


The pictures on this page reflects the diverse community that gathers together each month to work together as FRIENDS WITH FOOD to help reduce the food insufficiency in the area. 


The next distribution is scheduled is

Thursday, August 17.

 

 If you would like to help in the future, and/or  if you know of someone who could use some food, please contact

Jane Hartwell

  712-732-5255, 

Di Daniels

712-299-9863 or

Julie Cook

- Western Iowa Synod Office 732-4968.

Our Story

At the onset of the pandemic in the winter of 202 , St Mark Lutheran Church and SALUD multi-cultural health coalition, came together to fill a gap in Storm Lake's food security efforts.  Although the community was already leading the charge in fighting food insecurity on many fronts, those who were unable to get to the food pantries or food distributions (because of health or transportation issues) were going unserved. 


With the help of a number of local organizations, churches, clinics, etc., those households were identified and asked if they would like to receive a monthly food delivery.  Grants from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, World Hunger, and other generous donations have provided the funding  from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, allowed SALUD and St. Mark Lutheran Church of Storm Lake to create Friends With Food and partner with the Food Bank of Iowa to meet those needs. 


Every month, community volunteers come together to unload around 3-4 tons of food from the Food Bank of Iowa truck,  repack the food in bags, and then deliver to folks within an approximate 20 mile radius.  Currently, approximately 100+ households in Buena Vista County receive this assistance.


Groups represented: St Mark Lutheran Church, SALUD, Storm Lake Schools, Buena Vista University, Lakeside Presbyterian Church,  Storm Lake Police Department, iJAG students, St Mary's Catholic Church, Western Iowa Synod Staff (ELCA), Buena Vista Regional Medical Center, Tyson Foods, and members of many of the local ethnic communities.  This list will be updated regularly to be sure we include as many groups who participate as possible.