The Food Shelf

The Food Shelf in addition to The Food Pantry provide food services for the Creston area and other local regions on a direct delivery and delivery for pick up basis. The Food Pantry provides a partial funding of roughly $50-100 per month for The Food Shelf. The groups differ in characteristics, but support a likeminded mission to feed the hungry.

“We stop to see them as a friendly hello and ask, how they are doing, or if they need anything,” said Alice Reed.

This service ignited when there efforts expanded into shut-ins, which are typically elderly that have transportation difficulties. On a monthly basis The Food Shelf provides food resources to 90 shut-ins per month.

“If your hungry, call,” said President of The Food Shelf Mark O’Riley.

O’Riley among friends leads this group. O’Riley delivers the pre-filled bags, by volunteers, to the elderly in the Creston area and surrounding regions.

The Food Shelf also extends a hand with the school districts in Creston, Orient-Mackburg and Diagional. Teachers brought to attention that some students went the weekend without food, returning to school hungry. O’Riley and volunteers fill bags with various food and snack items that are dropped at the schools for students to take home for the duration of the weekend.

“We dropped bags off at the high school and we noticed that they had been picked through rather than taken as a whole,” said O’riley.

For Creston High School, The Food Shelf transitioned its approach to boxes of 30 count individual items set in the commons area every Friday for students to select from and take home.

“It’s a pleasure to do something for the youngsters in our community,” said volunteer Sharon Snodgrass.

“I agree, The Food Shelf is fun to be a part of and helping the kids,” said volunteer Sue Adams.

In addition to the summer time school provided lunch, volunteers from The Food Shelf are present to provide take home items for the students attending. Another summer duration activity for the volunteers of the The Food Shelf is providing offerings at the Rainbow Park on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

In the past years The Food Shelf has provided Christmas baskets to 247 families and Easter Baskets to 288 families in need of their service.

For Easter the group is hosting another Easter Food Basket Distribution from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. April 9 at The Food Shelf, 301 N. Elm St. Sponsored by Food Bank of Iowa and Creston Food Shelf, first-come-first serve basis, drive-through only and no deliveries. For more information regarding The Food Self and it’s events please contact 641-344-1159.

“Anybody that needs a little joy in there life should start serving others, the joy that comes from it is priceless,” said Becky Riley.