Food Pantry Plus Drive

In these unprecedented times, Iona is working hard to meet the needs of our most vulnerable clients who simply cannot go out to buy food or other necessary items. While many are receiving home-delivered meals provided by the Department of Aging and Community Living, most still need additional food to supplement the once-a-day frozen meal. And we are already getting many requests for toilet paper, paper towels, disinfecting wipes, trash bags, and the like.

We have an urgent need to keep Iona’s emergency COVID-19 Food Pantry Plus stocked with shelf-stable food and home supplies.

If you can safely do some shopping, or have some unopened extras in your own pantries and closets you can spare (please check expiration date), please bag or box them up and bring them to Iona on Saturday, April 11 from 10AM-noon.

No need to call ahead; just come to our back circle and we will have staff ready to safely receive the items. One or two cars at a time can keep safe social distance and unload donations onto carts. Iona staff will move the materials into the building. (If you don’t know our back circle, you enter it by turning onto Murdock Mill Road, off of River Road, between the church and the exit for the Container Store/Target parking garage.)

Here is a complete list of what our older neighbors desperately need (items in red are most needed):

Food and Drinks:

• Canned or packet tuna, chicken, or salmon
• Hormel Compleats shelf stable meals, any kind
• Barilla shelf stable pasta meals, any kind
• Canned soups – especially those with chicken and beef but also vegetable soups
• Cup soup products, especially those with vegetables or beans and reduced sodium
• Canned fruit, juice sweetened – peaches, pears, mixed fruits, mandarin oranges are big favorites
• Canned vegetables, reduced sodium appreciated
• Fruit cups, juice sweetened
• Dried fruits – prunes, apricots, cranberries
• Snack pack puddings – shelf stable
• Baked beans and other canned beans/legumes
• Macaroni and Cheese – box or instant “add water” cups
• Shelf stable milk unflavored
• Smooth peanut butter 
• Jelly or jam
• Granola, fruit & grain, or protein bars, preferably softer
• Cookies any kind
• Crackers – any kind of crackers, preferably softer butter or “Club-type” crackers, or whole grain
• Juice boxes any kind of fruit juice boxes, 100% fruit juice preferred

Cleaning/Home Supplies: 

• Bleach, smaller bottles preferred
• Bleach spray or other cleaners
• Toilet cleaner
• Rubber gloves – like for doing dishes
• Dishwashing liquid, like Dawn, etc.
• Sponges
• Laundry detergent – any kind, pods or bottles
• Tall kitchen trash bags
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper
• Disposable gloves

Hygiene Supplies: 

• Razors
• Bar soap
• Body wash
• Body lotion
• Toothpaste and brushes
• Deodorant
• Incontinence products – adult pull up diapers, preferably medium and large

If you can’t shop yourself, but would like to help our effort, you can make a donation to Iona here.

If you have questions about what or how to donate, please contact Tania Sechriest at volunteer@iona.org.