Public Health updates resource information

MT. PLEASANT — During the monthly Department Head meeting with the Henry County Board of Supervisors Public Health’s Community Outreach Coordinator Kelly Carr updated the board and other departments on resources in the county.

Public Health recently worked on updating the county’s Directory of Community Services.

They will offer the updated print directors as soon as they come in from the printers.

According to Kelly Carr from Public Health, through the volunteer efforts of Community First Credit Union’s Bilingual Community Development manager David Suarez, the Spanish speaking population can utilize the directory in their own language, as well.

Carr anticipates getting the updated directory online within the next couple of weeks.

Additionally, Public Health has worked hard on food pantry assessments of Henry County.

A Mt. Pleasant High School student assisted Public health in these assessments.

“I don’t know if you all know, but we actually have six food pantries that serve Henry County,” Carr said. “Here in town we have The Fellowship Cup and Community Action.”

“The New London School runs one out of there for any resident of New London or anyone with a child in the school district or child care center,” she said. “There is one in Winfield at the Methodist church … There is one in Wayland at the Mennonite Church, and the WACO pantry is actually at the United Church in Crawfordsville.”

According to Carr, the student visited each pantry and filled out an assessment tool provided from the Healthy Hometown Wellmark representative.

“We had a meeting on that yesterday,” Carr said. “It was fascinating to see it.”

“Somewhere between 1,800 and 1,500 people in our county are food insecure,” she said.

According to Carr, pantries have seen an incredible jump in usage following the Pandemic.

“That little one in Crawfordsville went from 28 families up to 80 families,” Carr said.

Carr also stated that Public Health will work on creating a flier of the different pantries for those that need to use the them, and with information for those wishing to donate.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com