Get Food Assistance

Discover different ways to get healthy, nutritious food for yourself and your family from Olivet Neighborhood Mission in Cedar Rapids.

Food Pantry

You or a member of your household can visit our Food Pantry every 7 days to pick out free groceries. Shop our shelves to pick groceries you and your loved ones will enjoy. We offer:

  • Boxed mealsFood pantry
  • Bread and deli items, like cheese and deli meats
  • Cereal
  • Fruits and vegetables, including fresh in-season options and canned, non-perishable items
  • Milk and dairy products
  • Pasta, grains, and rice
  • Protein options, including frozen meat, canned meat, plant proteins, and eggs

Who is Eligible?

You can access our food pantry if you meet certain income qualifications established by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). TEFAP is a federal program that helps supplement the diets of low-income Americans by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost. Contact us to learn if you’re eligible.

When Is the Food Pantry Open?

The pantry is located at 230 10th Street NW and open during our regular hours of operation.

Kitchen Pantry

Check out the Cedar Rapids area’s only kitchen pantry, where you can pick up free fresh food items daily. Choose from:

  • Bread
  • Dairy products, like cheese and yogurt
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Premade salads and meals
  • Sweets and desserts

Items are donated from local grocery and convenience stores.

Other Food Assistance Resources

If you need help to feed yourself or your loved ones, learn more about:

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – Offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities.
  • SHARE Iowa – Brings people together to build and strengthen communities through volunteer service and providing access to good, nutritious food at affordable prices. They are committed to supporting local neighborhood host sites where all may participate, serve, and lead with dignity.

Equal Opportunity Food Provider

Olivet Neighborhood Mission is an equal opportunity provider. Our services are open to everyone.

Olivet Neighborhood Mission is a TEFAP site. The USDA provides 100% American-grown USDA Foods and administrative funds to states to operate TEFAP. We also purchase foods through our partnership with Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP).

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

fax:

(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or

email:

Program.Intake@usda.gov

View the statement on the USDA’s website.

Donate to the Food Pantry

Help feed families in Cedar Rapids when you donate food or money to Olivet Neighborhood Mission.

Volunteer at the Food or Kitchen Pantry

Volunteer and experience firsthand the benefits of giving back.