(Atlantic) The Atlantic Benevolent Protective Order of Elks #445 has been awarded a $5,500 Beacon grant by the Elks National Foundation to be used to support Cass County food pantries with needs related to COVID-19.
Cumberland Care & Share and the Anita Food Pantry will both receive $1,500 to use towards new refrigerators, and the Atlantic Food Pantry will receive $2,500 to be used towards food purchases.
When Elks member Vicki Nordskog learned the 2020 Beacon grants were to be used to address needs related to COVID-19, she knew area food pantries could use the assistance. Through her volunteer work, she was well aware that the number of people utilizing the food pantry services is higher than previous years and is expected to remain so well into 2021. As a volunteer with Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All, Vicki has been helping to bring food to Cass County families in need since June.
Working through Healthy Cass County, all four Cass County food pantries were asked what they most needed help with. The Anita Food Pantry and Cumberland Care & Share both indicated they need additional cold storage space, while the Atlantic Food Pantry identified the need for more funding to pay for food as their top priority. The Lord’s Cupboard in Griswold responded that their pantry is doing alright at this time and asked that funding be directed to other pantries in the county.
The pantries were delighted to hear that the Atlantic Elks had received the grant. Anita Food Pantry Board Member and Cass County Local Food Policy Councilmember Tracey Lett said, “The Anita Food Pantry is so grateful and appreciates this so much. We will put it to good use to be able to provide more refrigerated items to our clients, as our numbers continue to increase again over the past month.”
