Coralville library partnering with Coralville Community Food Pantry

CORALVILLE — The Coralville Public Library and Coralville Community Food Pantry are working together to increase access and remove barriers to community resources.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought more people to the Coralville Public Library seeking help in applying for social services, said Ellen Hampe Alexander, assistant director at the Coralville Public Library.

People have come to the library for help applying for a job, housing, rent assistance and other needs, as well as learning about services in the area, Hampe Alexander said.

In an effort to address the increased demand, the library and food pantry are partnering on two new initiatives.

Two groups opened the Community Fridge earlier this year in the library cafe and recently hired a new staff person within the library dedicated to connecting residents to available resources.

Both the Community Fridge and new Community Resource Navigator position are funded by a COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant from the Iowa Department of Public Health received by the food pantry.

“It's just been an amazing partnership with the food pantry,” Hampe Alexander said. “I feel like we have a lot of the same core values, and libraries have always been about leveling the playing field and making sure everybody has access (to resources).”

Building community around food

The Community Fridge, located in the library, is regularly stocked by food pantry staff with free food and drinks. Hampe Alexander said the fridge opened in late May and has been doing “remarkably well.”

The fridge gets stocked at least once a day with fresh produce, wraps, sandwiches baked goods and other foods, as well as milk and water.

Hai Huynh, community projects coordinator with the food pantry, said “good food is a human right,” and the fridge is open to everybody. Among the goals is to remove stigma attached to free food, Huynh added.

Huynh said the library is the perfect space for the fridge because it’s a central location within walking distance of apartment complexes, the recreation center and S.T. Morrison Park.

“We want to make the space welcoming, like anyone can come in here, whether they want to take a quick break or they grab the food and be on their way,” Huynh said.

In addition to the fridge, there are chairs and tables for people to sit at, as well as books and board games.

“We really want to just kind of build community around food,” Hampe Alexander said.

Bridging the gap

Samira Abdalla started her position as the library’s Community Resource Navigator last month and has already started to assist Coralville residents by connecting them to available resources, including helping a woman apply for a job.

In addition to helping residents, Abdalla also stocks the Community Fridge and will work on starting a community ambassador program to meet needs of underserved residents.

Abdalla and her family lived in Ethiopia and Kenya before moving to Iowa City when she was 8 years old. She attended the Iowa City Community School District growing up and graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in public health. She is currently finishing her master’s degree in public health at the university.

She has worked for the university in a variety of positions, as well as volunteered with the free mobile clinics. She also worked as a contact tracer for Johnson County Public Health.

“I genuinely think my life experience definitely helps me, especially since a lot of the people that need these kind of resources and jobs are people that look like me or people that (have a) similar background as myself and my family when we first moved here,” Abdalla said.

Abdalla expressed her enthusiasm for the position, which she started on June 17. She wants to immerse herself in the community and meet people where they’re at.

“Finding people where they are is my goal and making sure that people know that I’m available,” Abdalla said.

The community resource navigator is a 15-month position, but Hampe Alexander said the library hopes to continue the position as long as it is needed.

“I feel like already we’re seeing the success, the fact that she’s already helping individual people get connected with resources,” Hampe Alexander said. “We’re really excited to be able to be doing all of this.”

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