Culturally Appropriate Food Pantry

Ethnic foods help to ease some of the culture shock that refugees experience when they first arrive in the Quad Cities. Their cultures often rely on produce that is exclusive to their heritage and difficult to find in conventional U.S. grocery stores, like Walmart or Hy-Vee. With the help of River Bend Food Bank and local churches that grow produce during the summer, our food pantry provides the familiar fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other ingredients necessary for a balanced, familiar diet.

For our food pantry, we also shop at refugee-owned markets for Burmese, African, and Afghan foods, which include whole fish and chicken, rice, fufu, bamboo, eggs, spices, and sauces.