SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Food pantries for Feeding South Dakota are closing in Rapid City and Sioux Falls. However, the organization is still hoping to give food to families in need.
“Closing the food pantries will allow us to more efficiently and effectively use our staff resources to continue to pack emergency boxes and bags of food to distribute to not only our residents in Rapid City and Sioux Falls, but to focus on the needs of all 66 counties of our state,” said Matt Gassen, Feeding South Dakota CEO, in a news release.
The pantries will continue to give people food by distributing emergency food boxes, drive-thru style, in the parking lots at the locations below beginning March 23, 2020. Feeding South Dakota said in an e-mail that everyone should remain in their vehicles; staff and volunteers will be loading the food. The volunteers and staff will give one box per household and a maximum of two boxes per vehicle.
Other Feeding South Dakota Program’s that could be impacted:
- BackPack Program – will discontinue the distribution of backpacks until further notice
- Mobile Food Pantry Program – will continue its regularly scheduled food statewide distributions with the exception that the food will be in pre-packed boxes and bags and will be distributed drive-thru style
- Food Bank Program – will continue to work closely with its 250+ agency partners, ensuring that communities we have current partnerships with continue to have access to food resources
- Senior Box Program – will continue to receive their monthly box
Feeding South Dakota officials are also encouraging healthy community members in the Pierre, Rapid City and Sioux Falls areas to volunteer. They say they need you now more than ever. Click here to register to volunteer.
