Midwest Food Bank is honored to support Kayla’s Cupboard since February 2015.
Serving and feeding people in need is not new for Harmony Bible Church, who has a food pantry in Danville, IA for many years and desired to reach more people but their location 5 miles outside of Danville and 12 miles from Burlington, made it unreachable by many in need. They purchased an old tavern in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Burlington, remodeled it, naming it Maple Leaf Center and began an after-school program, mentoring program, and a safe place for kids to hang out.
Dana Atkins, owner of the spa and beauty salon next door contacted Harmony Bible Church and asked if they wanted to utilize her unused space for a food pantry. Dana lost her 21-year-old daughter, Kayla to leukemia just two years prior. Kayla was a devoted young follower of Jesus Christ who dreamed of opening a soup kitchen in the back of her mom’s salon to serve those in need in Burlington. Pursing Kayla’s dream, Harmony Bible Church opened Kayla’s Cupboard in 2014 as a place for those in need to receive food assistance in the name of Jesus Christ.
Volunteers at Kayla’s Cupboard provide food and household items to recipients by appointment only. This allows volunteers to spend one-on-one time with recipients to build relationships, provide resources, and offer individual prayer. Cooking classes are now offered at the Maple Leaf Center next door providing not only cooking demonstrations but also the ingredients for a nutritious meal as well as cooking pots/pans if attendees do not have any at home.
Angie Brown, Coordinator for Kayla’s Cupboard, says “We at Kayla’s Cupboard thank Midwest Food Bank for the abundant blessings we have received over the last few years. The quality of donations we get each month is over and above whatever we could have ever dreamed of! Your friendly commitment is appreciated and we look forward to partnering with you in serving our community with hope for a better future.”
