Food pantry, trunk or treat recipients of Iowa State Education Association grant

CEDAR RAPIDS — A grant from the Iowa State Education Association will help Hoover Community School and community partners continue to provide culturally diverse foods as part of a food pantry at the elementary school.

Another grant enables the Cedar Rapids Community School District and Simply Divine Premium Chocolatier in Cedar Rapids to partner to provide a trunk or treat celebration as a safe place for families to trick-or-treat.

The grants were awarded to the Cedar Rapids Education Association, a member of the Iowa State Education Association.

“Educators in public schools across the state volunteer their time and energy in projects outside the scope of a workday that benefit students, families and the entire community. We are proud to support the Cedar Rapids Education Association in their efforts,” said Mike Beranek, president of the Iowa State Education Association.

The trunk or treat will happen rain or shine from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 at Kingston Stadium West parking lot, 707 15th St., SW, Cedar Rapids.

The food pantry at Hoover Community School, 4141 Johnson Ave. NW, is a biweekly program that serves about 178 families in the Hoover community. It has existed for five years and is open every other Friday.

The grant supports high-demand products for the pantry and partners the school with the African Market, Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP), Feed Iowa First, Stone Bridge Church and St. Jude Catholic Church.

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