The next opportunity for people in the Perry area to take advantage of the free Dallas County Mobile Food Pantry is tomorrow.

The event is organized through the Foodbank of Iowa and Hunger Free Dallas County, and will once again be hosted at Dallas County Hospital and Family Medicine Clinics in Perry. The food will be distributed the same as it was in May at the emergency event, with patrons driving through and volunteers placing the items into their vehicles to allow for proper social distancing. The pantry will run in the north parking lot of the hospital, with the lot opening at 3 p.m. and the distribution starting at 4. Organizers note that the food is first-come, first-served and supplies are limited, but they will once again have grocery cards for anyone who misses out.

Last month, the emergency mobile food pantry in Perry served well over 1,000 patrons, with a line of cars down Iowa Street that stretched nearly to Highway 141. The turnout shined a spotlight on the need for the service in northern Dallas County, and the entities involved are happy to continue it on at least an every-other-month basis moving forward. The Dallas County Mobile Food Pantry is free to use and there are no questions asked. Quantities of food provided are based on the number of members in a household. Anyone with questions is encouraged to reach out to the Food Bank of Iowa at 515-564-0330.