The Pantry was created as an outreach ministry of First United Methodist Church in 1985 as a response to requests from families in need in our community.  Until 2004, the Pantry was a small project that served 15 to 20 families each month.  In response to a growing community and growing need, the Pantry was expanded in 2004, but that was just the start.

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As North Liberty continued to grow, the Pantry felt it was necessary to increase capacity. In 2013, the Pantry opened the doors to a new permanent facility, with more space to better serve families and expand operations.

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In 2015, the Growing Together Garden broke ground and changed the way our community learns about growing food, the need for fresh, nutritious choices at food pantries and opened volunteer opportunities for neighbors with knowledge in gardening. The Growing Together Garden was the catalyst for healthy eating education as a focus at NLCP.

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In 2021, we opened the North Liberty Community Closet, the first-ever free clothing resource of its kind in Johnson County. The need for new socks and underwear was proven persistent throughout the year so adding this service in the Community Closet was an obvious choice.

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The Pantry has seen rapid growth as a result of three factors: increasing awareness of the Pantry, increasing population growth in North Liberty, and increasing economic need. In 2023, the Pantry distributed 588,000 pounds of food to 930 families. This is double the amount of service we did in 2021!

In 2024, the Pantry purchased land in North Liberty with the intention of growing our services to better meet the needs of the community through a new building. The proposed plan features over 10,500 square feet of usable space for a large warehouse, a roomy shopping area, a waiting lounge, and better accommodations for volunteers and staff. We invite you to stay involved with this exciting project!