The holiday season can be a stressful time of year for people struggling with their monthly budgets. Food Bank of Iowa CEO Michelle Book says that many of them don’t have enough food to eat.

“As I go out and visit our pantry partners, what I’m hearing from them is that the increase in the lines for food pantry service is made up of two demographics; one, it’s young families with children who are working, or two, it’s folks living on fixed income, people living on Social Security and disability,” she says.

Book says every month since COVID-19 aid ended in 2022, food pantries across the state have seen more and more traffic. “Iowa is among three states that saw the largest increase, 44 percent,  in the number of people facing food insecurity according to Feeding America’s latest “Map the Meal Gap” report,”  Book says.

With Thanksgiving just a few days away and the December holidays around the corner, she worries about Iowans faced with making some tough financial choices. “If they’re struggling to make ends meet, save your financial resources to pay your heating bill or to cover the cost of transportation and find food assistance near you.  People can come to foodbankofIowa.org, and click the “find food” button,” Book says. Iowa is served by six Feeding America food banks – with 40% of food going to children.

(By Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)

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