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Responding to end of SNAP benefits, HyVee offers free meals for children
Fairfield school district also reminds public of its food pantry at high school
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FAIRFIELD – HyVee grocery stores across the country, including the store in Fairfield, are offering free meals to kids the week of Nov. 3-7.
HyVee made the announcement on its website Oct. 31, indicating that it was offering the free meals and other community support in light of the predicted strain food banks would face in the coming weeks. Due to the federal government being shut down, SNAP benefits ended on Nov. 1.
Fairfield HyVee’s Assistant Manager of Perishables Grant McElwee told The Union on Tuesday that his company’s new initiative was designed to make up for the interruption in SNAP benefits, and that nearly 200 people took advantage of the program on its first night in Fairfield on Monday, Nov. 3. He said Fairfield HyVee was preparing to serve even more people on Tuesday evening, when workers were gearing up to serve 300 meals.
The meals are served between 4-7 p.m. each night of this week. They’re free to those 12 and under, and for everyone else they’re $3. Diners can eat the meals in the store or get them to go. The first night was baked potato and pulled pork, and Tuesday’s menu will be spaghetti with meat sauce, salad and garlic bread. Wednesday will be chicken noodles with mashed potatoes; Thursday is chili and a cinnamon roll; and Friday will offer a sesame or orange chicken rice bowl with appetizer.
McElwee said he did not know what the company will do after Friday, Nov. 7, whether the program will continue into the next week or if it will cease. He referred to this as a “minute by minute” initiative.
“Everyone is encouraged to take advantage of this; there are no exclusions,” McElwee said. “You walk in the door and we’ll be ready for you.”
[Update on Nov. 7: Hy-Vee has announced it will extend its free meals for children, and $3 for everyone else, through Nov. 14.]
FOOD PANTRY
Another resource the community should be aware of is the food pantry available at Fairfield High School, open to the public with no restrictions. Bethany LaRose, in her first year as Fairfield’s Community Support Specialist, said she’s noticed more people using the food pantry with each passing week, and that it served 105 families in October.
“As the Community Support Specialist, I want to support our community as a whole, not only our students but those individuals who support our students,” LaRose said.
The food pantry is located through an exterior door on the south side of the high school just west of the entrance to the Dan Breen Gymnasium. It is open on Wednesdays from 9-10 a.m. and again in the afternoon from 4:30-5:30 p.m., or by appointment. The food pantry is also adjacent to the hygiene closet, which consists of items available for students. The food pantry is stocked from food from the Food Bank of Iowa, whereas the hygiene closet relies entirely on local donations, and LaRose said she’s always open to accepting donations for it.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
