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Two New Mobile Food Pantries to Join the Fight Against Hunger in Polk County

10/1/2018

DES MOINES, IA — Two years after introducing its first mobile food pantry, the Partnership for a Hunger-Free Polk County, Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) and other partners will add two new mobile pantries to its fleet, thanks to the vision of Suzie Glazer Burt. Partners will present the two new mobile pantries to the community at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at the Ellis I. Levitt Boys & Girls Club — 705 E. University Ave.

Funding for one truck and trailer comes from Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt while the other is presented by Fred and Charlotte Hubbell. Additional funding comes from the Partnership for a Hunger-Free Polk County and Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa. The two new mobile pantries — operated by DMARC — will better serve individuals and families who cannot make ends meet.

“I am so proud to join Hunger Free with a donation on behalf of myself and my late husband Greg, and to help Polk County residents who struggle to feed themselves and their families,” said Suzie Glazer Burt. “These new mobile pantries will serve hungry children throughout our community by partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa.”

Since 2016, Hunger Free’s first mobile food pantry has visited 14 locations throughout Polk County and serves up to 500 people per month. Adding two more mobile food pantries will allow Hunger Free and DMARC to reach more locations at a higher frequency, and to reach underserved populations such as children at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa.

“It breaks my heart to imagine a working family that cannot make ends meet and has to choose between paying their bills and putting food on the table,” said Polk County Supervisor John Mauro. He added, “our goal has been the same since we started this initiative in 2014 – to make it easier for families to access help when they need it. These mobile pantries will do just that.”

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DMARC representatives say these mobile food pantries often bring in new clients who haven’t been to a food pantry in the past or don’t have easy access to one.

“We constantly look for ways to serve people where they’re at,” said Sarai Rice, Executive Director of DMARC. “We know that there are people in our community who are not getting the help that they need, often times because of transportation issues, so these mobile pantries will help us bring food into more kids in underserved neighborhoods.”

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