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Hawkeye food bank seeks new location

hawkeye-harvest-food-bank1MASON CITY – The Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank is now seeking a new location for its operation.

Since its start up in 1982, Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank (HHFB) has been housed in a part of Mohawk Square building.  The entrance is located in the alley behind the old YMCA building in downtown Mason City.

The food bank is crucial for low-income people to make ends meet.  Nearly 20% of Mason City residents are at or below the poverty level, and a near-majority of children in school take free or reduced-priced lunches.

“This is a much needed expansion so that the Food Bank can continue providing for the most needy families in North Iowa,” HHFB said last week.

The HHFB described its intentions for new office space this way:

At the present time the Food Bank leases 900 square feet of space from the Determan family plus uses an additional 700 square feet of space that Determans have graciously given us to use at no costs. They have also provided us a parking space for our vehicle, allowed us overhead garage door access for unloading and sorting areas. They have been wonderful to the Food Bank through the years but we have simply reached the point where we need more space on one level to make the tasks more manageable for an aging volunteer staff. We really need about 4,000-5,000 square feet of space all together on a single floor with handicap accessibility, parking for our volunteers and for those we serve.

Each month, about 75 volunteers at the Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank provide emergency food for anywhere from 1200-1800 local and area individuals who are in need of emergency assistance. The Food Bank provides much needed food staples, bar soap and toilet paper to clients who meet the eligibility requirements. Currently the local food bank serves individuals and families from 41 different communities in 10 north Iowa counties. To better serve those in need, the Food Bank volunteer-led board of directors is launching a capital campaign to relocate to a different facility in 2014.

A committee headed by Carol Clayton has been formed to explore renting or leasing a building and remodeling, purchasing a building and remodeling it to fit the unique needs of the food bank as well as to look at the feasibility of building a new food bank. Anyone who might have a building for rent, lease or sale within the downtown area should contact Carol Clayton at 641-424-3073, Any building that the food bank will consider for their relocation must have overhead garage door capabilities as well as handicap accessible.

A capital campaign will be needed to cover the expenses that this move will require. Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank is a recognized and approved 501C non profit organization.

If you wish to donate to the capital campaign project please mail your donation to Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank, 22 North Georgia, Ste. 14, Mason City, IA 50401. Donors should note on their contribution whether it is for the capital campaign project or for the ongoing operation of the Food Bank. Those with questions regarding just how they can become a contributor to the Capital Campaign for the Food Bank should e-mail the organization at hhfb50401@gmail.com.

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