Food bank gets more calls in the summer

The director of the state’s largest food bank says there’s been a “sharp increase” in demand for free food in the past two months. Karen Ford of the Food Bank of Iowa says summertime can be a difficult time for families which qualify for free or reduced-price school breakfast and lunch programs during the school year.Ford says her agency helps many families who have parents working low-wage jobs, so they don’t qualify for food stamps or other government assistance.The Food Bank of Iowa is located in Des Moines and serves 250 charities in 42 counties.