For many people the final day of October marks Halloween or Reformation Day.
For members of Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center, Iowa, it also marks the end of a monthlong food drive benefiting Mid-Sioux, a local community service organization that includes an emergency food pantry.
Bethel CRC has participated in the community through this organization for a number of years. “We usually have two offerings per year,” says Roger Van Voorst, a deacon for Bethel. “Either a food drive or a cash donation.”
Each Monday morning a group of women gather at Mid-Sioux to pack boxes of food for the community. Low-income families benefit from their donations and the fruits of their labor.
Every bit helps. The emergency food pantry, which offers families a three-day supply of food, operates entirely on community support. The organization serves families across northwest Iowa, from Lyon County down to Ida County.
About the Author
Kate Padilla is a staff writer at the Spencer Daily Reporter in Spencer, Iowa, where she is a member of Hope Church.