Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh reports Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All offers food delivery to Cass County residents in need of the service during COVID-19. Just beginning its third week, the program has over 80 households registered. Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All continues to accept registrations, and is now also recruiting volunteers to assist with food delivery.

Registration is open: Once registered, households will receive weekly food delivery until grant funding runs out, or participants notify the program that they are no longer in need of the assistance. The weekly service is available to people in Cass County in need of food delivery during COVID-19. To learn more or register for the program, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass, or call Cass County Public Health at 712-243-7443.

Calling volunteers: While Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All continues to expand, the Cass County Local Food Policy Council is recruiting volunteers to assist with food delivery. Volunteers are needed Monday through Thursday from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Volunteers able to commit to volunteering on the same day of the week for a month are preferred. Volunteers must be able to lift heavy grocery bags repeatedly and climb on and off a bus multiple times an hour.

As many individuals registered for food delivery are at high risk for COVID-19, volunteers must be committed to adhering to safety practices recommended by Public Health including maintaining a six-foot distance from others, wearing a mask at all times, and frequently washing hands or using hand sanitizer. On days with fewer than approximately 15 deliveries, volunteers will be asked to drive their own vehicles (mileage will be reimbursed).

On days with more deliveries, volunteers will ride a SWITA bus driven by a SWITA driver. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, contact Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or 712-249-5870.

Cass County COVID-19 Mobile Food For All is made possible by a grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The Cass County Local Food Policy Council, Cass County Public Health, Cass County ISU Extension, Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA), and Cass County are partnering on the program.For more information, follow @CassCountyLocalFood on Facebook or contact Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at 712-249-5870or by email at bhoegh@iastate.edu.