Overflowing with hungry families and struggling to find enough space to store food, the Urbandale Food Pantry plans to acquire a new building to meet the needs of the community.
The city is helping it prepare for the purchase and implement a multi-year plan to address issues such as food insecurity, transportation and access to affordable housing.
Patti Sneddon-Kisting, executive director of the pantry, said the increased need for assistance is “a reminder that many people struggle to put food on the table every day.” said.
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The Urbandale City Council on April 16 approved a development agreement with Pantry for the purchase and renovation of a new “principal business” building at 7901 Douglas Avenue.
The approximately 7,200-square-foot, two-story brick office building at the new location is more than double the space that Sneddon Kisting said currently houses the pantry in the nearby Cedar Ridge Shopping Center at 7611 Douglas. will be the size ofavenue
And the site plan for the new location, approved April 22 by the Urbandale Planning and Zoning Commission, calls for adding more than 1,500 square feet of space to the vacant lot behind the building.
“We are currently at capacity,” Sneddon-Kisting said. The pantry said it is constantly having logistical discussions about where to put the 100,000 pounds of food it receives each month to meet 1.4 percent of needs. Last year it was £1 million.
And it's not just the food. The Des Moines Register observed people waiting in line out the door for customer reception service one night in mid-April. Sneddon-Kisting said it's like that every day, no matter the weather.
The development agreement with the city provides the food pantry with $47 in capital project funds to support the purchase of new property, as long as a purchase agreement is entered into by May 1st and the sale is completed by May 15th. million dollars will be provided.
The property was valued at $495,000 in 2023, with the building valued at $167,000 and the 38,700-square-foot lot valued at $328,000, according to Polk County real estate records. The property was last sold in 2019 to current owner BMKAR LLC for $410,000.
The development agreement requires the pantry to reserve space in the new home, including 77 percent of the second floor, for 20 years for other organizations that provide services identified in the city's Human Services Plan.
The city and food pantry will mutually agree on who the other tenants will be, but the city's Human Services Strategic Plan, which the City Council also approved on April 16, states that the city's Human Services Strategic Plan, which includes expanding access to food assistance, will Social needs are identified. Improving the quality, ridership and route availability of public transport. Increase the supply of affordable housing, expand English language learning assistance programs, and strengthen the affordability and availability of child care and youth development programs.
Addressing food insecurity and housing affordability will be the city's top priorities, according to the plan.
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Regarding the food pantry's new office, Sneddon-Kisting said, “As we finalize the new location and assess the need for renovations, we will determine exactly what financial resources will be needed. We invite the community to join us in this important effort to ensure access.” For essential food assistance. ”
He added that the feasibility study “confirms what we've known all along,” calling the new location “not just a dream, but a concrete and economically viable opportunity.” Ta.
Sneddon-Kisting said people can donate money to support the food pantry at secure.givelies.org/donate/urbandale-food-pantry and can also keep an eye on future fundraising campaigns. said.
Information about other donation and volunteer opportunities can be found at urbandalefoodpantry.org.
Philip Sitter covers the western suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com or on his X (former Twitter name) @pslifeisabeauty.
