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 will be held on the third Thursday of every month.


USDA Non-Discrimination Statement: https://www.usda.gov/non-discrimination-statement

 

 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. 



Nondiscrimination Statement

Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis ofrace, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, or by calling 1-866-632-9992 or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to:

  1. USDA by mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C., 20250-9410; or
  2. By fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. By email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.