Free Lunch of Iowa City

10/22/2026

We’ve LOVED all the positive feedback on our new look. Now, as promised, we want you to meet the driving force behind it. 👋

Payton Kelly of .made grew up in Mount Pleasant, spent years in Colorado, and came home to Iowa to start Pennant Design Co. (We're so glad he did!) He’s fueled by working with local businesses (especially non-profits), old-school typography, and climbing rocks when he’s not at his desk.

Payton designed and built our new website and donated his time and talent to do it. Check out his other work (website link in comments), and please give him some love in the comments. He’s earned it!

10/20/2026

We have a new logo and a new website. 🎉

Why the change? A lot of people thought we were a school lunch program, and we wanted a look that’s clearer and a site that’s easier to navigate and can grow with us.

Thanks to the donated talents of two incredible local businesses (more on them this week), our new look now shows more clearly who we are.

The site is still being updated, so take a look around and tell us what you think. (Link in bio and comments.)

10/09/2026

🍽️ Every meal creates a sink full of dishes. 🍽️

A different dish crew takes it on every day we're open. They wash and dry the plates, cups, utensils, and pots so the kitchen is ready for the next meal.

So to everyone who's stood at that sink — thank you for being an essential part of our team! ❤️

10/07/2026

One hundred seventy meals served in one lunch hour -- amazing job, GreenState Team! Thank you for providing nourishment and smiles to our neighbors. GreenState Credit Union

10/02/2026

Over 100 cups of coffee a day. 3,391 meals in September. Zero questions asked.

Happy International Coffee Day from Iowa City Free Lunch, where the coffee is strong and the welcome is stronger. Thank you to our volunteers who keep the pot full! ☕💛☕💛

10/01/2026

Hunger Action Month ends today. Hunger doesn't.

This month, we talked about:
→ Why hunger and food insecurity aren't the same thing
→ What the numbers look like in Iowa, Eastern Iowa, and Johnson County
→ Why SNAP doesn't catch everyone who needs it
→ Why nutrient-dense meals matter
→ How our people and partners make this work possible
→ What food insecurity looks like through a guest's own story

Thank you for donating, volunteering, sharing, showing up, and learning alongside us. You made it matter.

The work continues tomorrow. ❤️

09/29/2026

Hunger relief is a community effort. ❤️

In addition to all of our wonderful volunteers and teams, Iowa City Free Lunch couldn't do what we do without the organizations that help keep food moving through our community.

Table to Table. HACAP. The Food Access Network. And so many other partners help us get food into our kitchen and onto our guests' plates.

We're grateful to be one part of a much bigger network of people and organizations working to make sure our neighbors have access to food.

That's what taking action against hunger can look like: all of us doing our part.

09/26/2026

What does a serving day at Iowa City Free Lunch look like? 🍽️

Our volunteers are part of the community that makes Free Lunch possible 312 days every year. Thank you for giving your time, energy and heart to keep our door open and our plates full.

The meals matter, but so does the community around them. Our guests get to know one another, help each other out, and build connections around the table. ❤️

Take a look at what a serving day looks like: https://youtu.be/Gfe9efgzQ-w

For over 40 years, the Iowa City Free Lunch Program has been provid...

09/24/2026

Sometimes a few words tell the story best. ❤️ Behind every statistic is a person.

09/22/2026

Someone may not qualify for SNAP even if they experience food insecurity (not having reliable access to enough food).

In Johnson County, 39% of people experiencing food insecurity make too much to qualify. Hunger doesn't always look the way we expect.

That's why Iowa City Free Lunch has no eligibility requirements, no paperwork, no questions asked. If you need a meal, our door is open.