Mobile food pantry serves Iron County

HURLEY - Over the last 13 months, Iron County residents have been able to receive free supplemental food through Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank, of Duluth, Minn., and the Iron County University of Wisconsin-Extension office.

In October 2013, the mobile food pantry served 129 low-income individuals with protein, fruit, vegetables and grains.

Fast-forward one year later, and the pantry served 534 people during a distribution in November.

"It's really comforting to know people are eating healthy foods," Joy Schelble, Wisconsin Nutrition Program coordinator in the UW-Extension office, said.

The pantry takes place the last Monday of every month, with volunteers helping to hand out different food items. Originally, the pantry only took place in Hurley, but over the last three months, there has also been a mobile pantry set up in Mercer in the parking lot at the Haines Building on Railroad Street.

The success of the program has also forced the UW-Extension office to change locations.

At first, the pantry took place in the parking lot at the Iron County Courthouse. But because of large influxes of residents, the pantry has since moved to the Iron County Recycling Center in Hurley.

Also, to combat cold temperatures and snowy conditions in the winter, the pantry allows for people to drive their vehicles through, without having to deal with Mother Nature.

"We provide courtesy, kindness and dignity, as well as food," Schelble said. "We have great volunteers who come to help, and we really enjoy doing this each month to help the residents of Iron County."

Interested participants can pick up a mobile food pantry eligibility form in the Iron County UW-Extension office, located in the Iron County Courthouse in Hurley. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

To register, people also need to provide recently postmarked mail with name and address, knowledge of current gross monthly household income and a picture ID.

For those who cannot make it to the food distribution, a proxy can be named to pick up the food for them.

Food distribution occurs the last Monday of the month from noon to 1 p.m. in Hurley and from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Mercer.

"We will stay as long as there are people there," Schelble said.

For more information, or to register, contact the Iron County UW-Extension office at 715-561-2695 or at 888-561-2695 (toll-free), or visit the office, located at 300 Taconite St., Suite 118, in Hurley.