DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines Public Schools have been closed for a few weeks, but the food pantries at some schools are still open - including the pantry at Lovejoy Elementary School.
Amy Joens, the community school coordinator at Lovejoy, said the pantry is seeing an increase in visitors.
Their pantry opened to the community in December after previously being exclusively for students and their families.
In December, Joens said the pantry was serving approximately 50 people a month. Now, it serves close to 150 families, or around 800 individuals.
"We started out by being able to order one thousand pounds of food every other week," Joens said. "Then we started ordering one thousand pounds weekly. Now we order two thousand pounds of food every week. We go through it all."
While some pantries only carry canned or boxed foods, the pantry at Lovejoy also provides fresh meats and vegetables, as well as hygiene products.
The pantry is essential to many community members, including Monica Yakwenneh.
Yakwenneh has four kids in the metro and works two jobs to make ends meet. She said she started using the pantry three months ago when her grocery and utility bills became too high.
"Rent went up," Yakwenneh said. "Light bills, water bills, everything just going up. Things are never the same."
Yakwenneh said without the pantry, she doesn't know how she would survive.
"It's really really helping us," she said. "If you're out there and you need help, get the help that you can get."
Lovejoy Principal Brandi Otto said she's glad her school can be a resource to those in need.
"It's brought the community here into Lovejoy," Otto said. "We've got to build relationships with parents and community members."
The pantry is open this summer every Thursday between 12-3 p.m.