Volunteers including Eilene Johnson, Ann Kuhter, Becca Bancroft and Kim Nelson were busy Monday stocking shelves and organizing the Food Pantry in anticipation of its Tuesday opening at 137 West 3rd in downtown Tama. News-Herald photos/John Speer

Those in need of food and household supplies are being welcomed this week at a new spot by an old provider. The South Tama Food Pantry has been relocated to the corner of 3rd and McClellan at 137 West 3rd in downtown Tama.

The Food Pantry has supplied goods from a location in the South Tama Community Clothes Closet at 507 McClellan for over 10 years. However, cramped quarters there have made the move a great change for the operation which is run on a volunteer basis with local churches and civic organizations pitching in.

“It’s five times the space,” Clyde Bearden, the Food Pantry Board president, said Monday as the move of equipment was being wrapped up.

The move was accomplished with the help of those representing a number of organizations. Among them, the Knights of Columbus including members Ron Timm, Tom Doyle, Tom Dreesman along with Toledo-Tama Kiwanis member Brent Heeren spent Saturday assembling steel shelving from front to back of the building.

On Monday, volunteers from various churches and groups were busy stocking the shelves to ready for the regular opening time of 10 a.m. on Tuesday.

Food Pantry President Clyde Bearden (right) and volunteer Kevin Nelson move a file cabinet into the new location of the south Tama Food Pantry on Monday, June 11.

“We serve approximately 300 to 500 people per month. For example, April 2018 statistics are: Adults 222, Children 184, Families 113 – total individuals 406. It fluctuates depending on need. Summer participant rate is usually higher due to children being at home for all meals and snacks,” Becca Chyma, scheduling chair, told The News-Herald.

“We are extremely excited about the move to this spacious new location and grateful to Julie Rathjen for facilitating the opportunity to upgrade our environment and quality of service to the patrons of this much needed facility. When we have completed the relocation process, the Food Pantry Board plans to host an open house,” Chyma said.

Julie Rahtjen is the president of Community Resource Connections which operates the non-profit Community Clothes Closet.

Rahtjen said last week her organization plans to continue to support the Food Pantry by paying the rent and utility bills for the new location.

More Volunteers Needed

RIGHT- The interior of the new location of South Tama Food Pantry at 137 West 3rd Street in downtown Tama was transformed from this pile ofmetal shelving and some wall boards Saturday to a ready-to-go condition by Tuesday. Joe Imhoff,, the Knights of Columbus including members Ron Timm, Tom Doyle, Tom Dressman along with Toledo-Tama Kiwanis member Brent Heeren were hard at work on Saturday.

The Food Pantry has a Board with 10 members representing both Tama and Toledo and a variety of churches.

Current members are: President Clyde Bearden, Vice President Joe Imhoff, Treasurer Sharlene Appelgate, Secretary Deb Husak, Statistician / Reports Maxine Boles, Margaret Scharnweber, Bill Roddan, LaVern Seth, Diane Nitz and Chyma.

Individuals from a group of about 33 volunteers from the communities are scheduled to work once or twice a month. Tasks include filling boxes with food orders based on family size, stocking shelves, and assisting customers.

“These are dedicated, hardworking folks. We always need more volunteers,” Chyma says. If interested, her cell 641-780-7429 in joining.

For those familiar with the history of downtown Tama, the new food Pantry location housed Gregory’s Mens Clothing for many years. It was followed up by Bistline Clothing, Dwight’s for Gentlemen and their Sons and Mr. and Mrs. Cs.

It’s not the first downtown Tama location for the Food Pantry. The Food Pantry had at one time been located in a former business location owned by Bob and Laura Etta Metz on East 3rd Street.

Food Pantry Support

According to Becca Chyma, several churches designate certain Sundays for parishioners to donate food or money which is the source of most of our funding. Individuals are very generous in giving cash or food items.

The Clothes’ Closet, under the direction of Julie Rathjen, has also assisted by acquiring grant monies for the purchase of new freezers, supplying personal hygiene products and giving monetary donations for special purchases of turkeys and hams at holidays.

The Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel, STC schools, post offices, Scouts and other organizations sponsor food drives which provide additional food items to augment our regular purchases.

Godfather’s and Subway donate pizzas and bread each week. Fareway, Iowa Premium and Swifts surprise us with meat donations. Local farmers bring in dozens of eggs while gardeners donate fresh fruits and vegetables.

Once or twice a month, The Pantry purchases food from the Northeast Iowa Food Bank located in Waterloo.

Also, every Thursday, the N.E. Iowa food Bank delivers fresh bakery goods and produce free of charge which is available to anyone who needs food.