by Marcie Priestley
The Salvation Army in Sioux Falls, S.D., has expanded its pantry options for those seeking emergency food assistance. With the help of several local organizations, the corps now is better equipped to meet the needs and tastes of those in its diverse community, including immigrants who speak Spanish, Nepali and Amharic (an Ethiopian Semitic language).
“We have a diverse community in Sioux Falls, and we want to ensure we’re providing the types of foods individuals and families prefer to eat. As an organization which helps combat hunger, we want to make sure we’re continually improving upon our services and doing the very best we can to provide food security for everyone,” said Major Marlys Anderson, corps officer.
The expanded options were created in partnership with the Multi-Cultural Center of Sioux Falls and Caminando Juntos, a ministry in Sioux Falls to the Latino population (sponsored by the Aberdeen Presentation Sisters), which answered questions, helped develop food lists for new pantry packs and translated forms and other communication into different languages.
Pantry Pack #1 is filled with canned fruits, vegetables, soups, pasta, pasta sauce, macaroni & cheese, canned beef, cereal and shelf stable milk, frozen meat and fresh produce (when available).
Pantry Pack #2 includes canned tomato sauce, canned corn, canned black beans, canned pinto beans, canned refried beans, hard corn tortillas, sweetbread, white rice, green beans, chicken bouillon, frozen meat and fresh produce (when available).
Pantry Pack #3 includes a variety of rice, dry beans (kidney, lima, pinto, chickpeas), pancake mix, chicken broth, broth-based soups, canned tuna, salmon, and chicken, ramen noodles, frozen meats and fresh produce (when available).
Each weekday morning the corps welcomes everyone, regardless of immigration status. It hopes to expand the hours to include weekday afternoons with the help of volunteers.
