Five o’clock hits, and the line for Coralville’s December community meal trails outside the gym doors of the rec center, full of people of all backgrounds, cultures and ages. On Friday, Dec. 12, over a hundred families, volunteers and community members gathered for a dinner sponsored by the Coralville Community Food Pantry. With the help of members of the Mariam Girls Club, the food pantry staff distributed vegetables, fruit, sandwiches and dessert to the waiting line of attendees.
During dinner, attendees under the age of eighteen had the opportunity to grab a free book at the Coralville Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board table. Using funding provided by the Friends of the Coralville Public Library, TAB members bought and wrapped all the novels from Barnes & Noble and handed them out during the meal. At the end of the night, TAB distributed around fifty picture books, board books and novels of all genres.
Good food and new books weren’t the only things the community meal had to offer. Positioned right outside of the gym, attendees could get glitter tattoos with members of the Mariam Girls Club and craft winter-themed ornaments. In another portion of the gym, a bouncy house was set up, along with miniature games of basketball and foosball. For added holiday cheer, an inflatable snowman walked around during the meal, becoming an instant hit with younger attendees.
From trying new foods and meeting new families to bonding over books, community meals are here to showcase how the doors to community are open for all. To find the next community meal, please see Coralville’s event schedule.
