For more than a decade, Jim and Marianne Sjaarda have quietly and faithfully served families throughout Sioux Center and the surrounding Siouxland area through the Hope Food Pantry in Sioux Center. What began as a desire to help meet a need in their community has grown into a ministry that brings together volunteers, businesses, donors and community members to provide food, clothing and hope to families in need.
For their extraordinary commitment to serving others and the lasting impact of their work, Jim and Marianne Sjaarda have been named the 2026 recipients of the Addink Community Service Award.
Jim and Marianne’s commitment to the Hope Food Pantry goes far beyond a weekly volunteer commitment. They have made serving others a part of their lives, dedicating countless hours each week to keeping the pantry running and ensuring families have access to nutritious food and other necessities.
Most Wednesdays from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m., Jim and Marianne are at the pantry distributing food boxes to families. But the work begins long before Wednesday. They purchase food from the Food Bank of Iowa in Sioux City, pick up donations from businesses and individuals throughout Sioux Center, organize food and supplies, and seek grants for equipment such as freezers and coolers to safely store food. They also prepare food boxes for families who are unable to come to the pantry, helping ensure that transportation or scheduling challenges do not prevent people from receiving the food they need.
The pantry also provides clothing at no cost. Throughout the week, volunteers organize food, sort clothing donations and prepare for Wednesday’s distribution. On distribution days, volunteers assemble food boxes, prepare bread and produce, welcome families, enter information into the computer system, load boxes into vehicles and assist in the clothing area, where families can select items they need.
Much of the food distributed through the pantry includes items that might otherwise go to waste. Instead, those resources are put to use helping families put nutritious meals on their tables. Through the generosity of donors and the dedication of volunteers, the Hope Food Pantry provides more than food and clothing—it offers compassion, dignity and a sense of hope to people going through difficult circumstances.
This summer, the pantry’s reach expanded even further when it was selected as one of five locations to distribute food to qualifying children and families.
Jim and Marianne are quick to recognize that the work of the Hope Food Pantry is a community effort. None of it would be possible without the many volunteers who have faithfully given their time over the years. They are especially thankful for Bev Jansen, who has served as the volunteer coordinator since the very beginning. Her years of dedication, along with the countless hours given by volunteers throughout the community, have played an important role in making the pantry’s ministry possible.
For Marianne, serving others is also an expression of her faith. Each Wednesday, before food distribution begins, she opens the day in prayer, asking God’s blessing on the families who will receive assistance. Their faith is also reflected in the food boxes themselves, which include a flyer sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, often with an opportunity for children to read and color.
Over the past decade, Jim and Marianne have turned a desire to help their neighbors into a ministry that continues to make a difference week after week. Their work has provided practical assistance to families while creating opportunities for others throughout the community to join them in serving those in need.
That spirit of service is at the heart of the Addink Community Service Award—recognizing individuals whose commitment to helping others makes a lasting difference in their community.
Through their leadership, generosity and years of faithful service, Jim and Marianne Sjaarda exemplify that spirit.
Congratulations to Jim and Marianne Sjaarda, the 2026 Addink Community Service Award recipients, and thank you for the countless ways you continue to serve families and bring hope to our community.