Teaming up for a good cause

Helping Hands Donation & Thrift at 14 Central Ave. N.E., is a drop-off location and partner for non-perishable food donations to the “Goodness Doesn’t Perish Canned Food Drive.”

LE MARS — Accura HealthCare of Le Mars and Helping Hands Donation & Thrift are teaming up for a “Goodness Doesn’t Perish Canned Food Drive” during March.

“Join us on our mission to keep others’ bellies full and hearts warm this spring by donating canned foods to our can drive. Accura HealthCare is partnering with Helping Hands to provide food to those in need,” said Shallynn Lane, activities director are the care center.

Jim Plueger, owner of Helping Hands Donation & Thrift in downtown Le Mars, said partnering with Accura HealthCare of Le Mars, gives more access for individuals to donate canned goods and nonperishable food items.

(Sentinel Photos by Beverly Van Buskirk) Accura HealthCare of Le Mars, 954 Seventh Ave. S.E., will accept non-perishable food donations through the end of March for the “Goodness Doesn’t Perish Canned Food Drive.”

Collection started March 6 and will end March 31.

The two had partnered for a food drive and distribution in December, just in time for Christmas.

With this drive, they hope to do the project quarterly to help those in need.

“Now is the time for people to bring in non-perishable canned goods and boxed meals,” Plueger said. “We are going to open it up to refrigerated/frozen items as we have a way of keeping that now.”

Lane and Plueger hope to make it a quarterly collection and distribution.

“We’re trying to do it so a drive starts before a holiday,” Lane explained. “So for this one, distribution will be in early April, right before Easter.”

Distribution for this quarter will April 4 and 5 at Helping Hands.

Food items may be brought to Helping Hands during business hours, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Food items may be dropped off at Accura HealthCare during the day and early evening by giving to Lane or a staff member.

Plueger pointed out there will be no paperwork involved for those coming for food.

“We’re not going to get into that,” he said. “If they come in to get food, it’s going to be theirs. I just want to make sure they get the food they need.”

“You kind of figure those who come are low income and to have to jump through hoops and all that just to prove you need help seems a little excessive considering what’s been going on,” Lane added, as she and Plueger see food prices rising at the grocery store.

Both Plueger and Lane feel it is a good partnership and provides another resource for families to get the help they need.

“You won’t always hear that people are hungry because they have their pride, they don’t want to come out and say ‘I need food’ and I respect that,” Plueger added. “I try to protect their feelings, that’s very important.”

Lane said since coming to Accura HealthCare as activities director in 2020, she has tried to conduct drives to help others. That has included a winter coat drive which saw donations go to the Christian Needs Center and CAASA, as well and collecting for backpacks for Mid-Sioux.

Anyone with questions may contact Lane at Accura HealthCare or Plueger at Helping Hands.