Little Free Pantry available in downtown Waukon to assist those impacted locally by food insecurity
Little Free Pantry now available, donation made to Allamakee County Food Shelf ... At a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Little Free Pantry (pictured in the photo above) made possible through Black Hills Energy at the 15 1st Street NW location of What’s New Thrift Store, a check presentation to the Allamakee County Food Shelf also took place relating to a $250 donation from Black Hills Energy as well as a matching $250 donation from Arvid and Laurie Hatlan, owners of What’s New Thrift Store. Pictured above at the check presentation are, left to right, Black Hills Energy Public Affairs Program Manager Marissa Gaal, What’s New Thrift Store owners Arvid and Laurie Hatlan, Operations Supervisor Ivan Hackman of the Black Hills Energy Decorah Unit, Waukon City Manager Grayson Rowlet, and Director Deliverance Hope and volunteer Linda Groe, both with the Allamakee County Food Shelf. Standard photos by Joe Moses.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Friday, October 2 at 15 1st Street NW in Waukon, the location of What’s New Thrift Store, for the introduction of a Little Free Pantry through Black Hills Energy. This free community resource is available 24 hours a day/seven days a week (24/7) to individuals and families experiencing food insecurity, no questions asked, in the entryway of this retail store location.
Present for the ribbon cutting ceremony were Operations Supervisor Ivan Hackman of the Black Hills Energy Decorah Unit, Public Affairs Program Manager Marissa Gaal with Black Hills Energy, Waukon City Manager Grayson Rowlet, Director Deliverance Hope and Linda Groe, both with the Allamakee County Food Shelf, and Arvid and Laurie Hatlan, owners of What’s New Thrift Store. Arvid Hatlan is also a service technician with Black Hills Energy in addition to being Mayor of Waukon.
At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Gaal provided some background relating to the Little Free Pantry program through Black Hills Energy in which she noted that it is a goal to include one pantry in each of the company’s service districts with the Little Free Pantry in Waukon being the seventh location for this program. She noted reaching out to Arvid Hatlan as Mayor of Waukon relating to this program, with the What’s New Thrift Store’s enclosed entryway providing an indoor temperature-controlled location allowing for 24/7 access to anyone experiencing food insecurity.
In addition to the availability of food items, Gaal noted that information relating to the Black Hills Cares energy assistance program is also available at this and other Little Free Pantry locations. Hope and Groe advised that some items in abundance at the Allamakee County Food Shelf may be shared with the Little Free Pantry location to help meet the needs of individuals and families with 24/7 access at this location.
In addition to the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Little Free Pantry, a check presentation to the Allamakee County Food Shelf took place relating to a $250 donation from Black Hills Energy as well as a matching $250 donation from the Hatlans on behalf of What’s New Thrift Store.
Following the ribbon cutting ceremony and check presentations, the Hatlans shared with The Standard that other necessities including paper towels and toiletries may be available to those in need in the space below the Little Free Pantry and possibly inside the What’s New Thrift Store in the future. The Hatlans also noted that the public is welcome to donate food items or take food items as needed at the Little Free Pantry. They said the slogan “Take what you need, leave what you can” on the front of the Little Free Pantry sums up the intent and spirit of this project to help those in need.
