Support Iowa's Highest-Serving Food Pantry

Project Description

Bidwell Pantry serves more individuals than any food pantry in Iowa—22,000 unduplicated individuals annually, with 87,000 total visits per year. This represents a 46% increase over just five years, and demand continues to grow. Despite this scale of service, our current facility lacks basic infrastructure that most organizations take for granted:

• No adequate storage space – When our food delivery truck arrives, staff must immediately unload entire pallets and find space on existing shelves. The building has no doors wide enough to accommodate pallets, forcing staff to hand-carry every item.
• No staff break room – Our team has no dedicated space to take breaks during long service days.
• No staff bathroom – Staff currently share the single public restroom with clients. This bathroom is frequently used by individuals experiencing homelessness for bathing, as there are no shower facilities available to them in our community. The Pantry bathroom does not have a shower. While we never want to deny this need, it creates an untenable situation for our staff.

The Solution 
We have secured a bid for a 20' x 40' addition to the rear of the building that would provide desperately needed storage space, a staff break room, and a staff bathroom. The total project cost, including exterior security system upgrades, is $250,000.

Why This Matters 
One of our clients recently shared: I was never in a position to need a food pantry. My husband left and I no longer have enough money to buy enough food for the month. I was ashamed to come to Bidwell for help. I knew I needed to. When I arrived, the staff and volunteers were friendly, respectful, and compassionate. They made me feel so welcome, I did not feel ashamed to need their help. I found out they have free clothing and I was able to find some summer clothes for my three children. Thank you for making a hard decision turn out okay.

Our staff's ability to provide this level of compassionate, dignified service depends on having a functional workspace. This expansion will allow us to operate more efficiently, reduce physical strain on our team, and continue meeting growing community need with the respect every individual deserves.