The local food pantry in Jefferson is participating in a new state-wide initiative this summer.

Greene County Action Resource Center Manager Shirley Haupert says they are one of two entities in the county that are part of the Healthy Kids Iowa program with the other one being Sweet Treats in Scranton. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio that Governor Kim Reynolds denied federal funding for the Summer EBT last year, because they didn’t feel it had the comprehension for nutrition and wanted to put more focus on nutritious foods, especially for kids. 

Haupert points out eligible youth between the ages of four and 18 can come to the food pantry once per month this June, July and August to receive nutritious food that is valued between $40 and $50. With the food pantry only open on Thursdays, Haupert says the first Thursday in July there were 60 kids that took advantage of the Healthy Kids Iowa program. She notes that the funding for this new program is from the state and deliveries are made twice per month from the Food Bank of Iowa. 

Haupert shares that they found out about this new initiative in mid-May to be implemented by June 1st and she appreciates all the local volunteers working to make this happen.

“We have fantastic volunteers! They helped work through all of the logistics because on a Thursday morning, we have 40-60 families that come through and it gets really, really busy. And so we have to keep the flow going so everyone can get served in a timely manner.”    

According to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, eligible households must be at the 185 percent federal poverty level and have youth between 4 and 18 years old, along with allowing households to choose from a selection of nutritionally balanced foods each month, with those items to include fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains and proteins. To register, contact the Greene County New Opportunities Office at 515-386-2719.