The spokesperson for the Food Bank of Iowa says the annual Feeding America survey isn’t very positive for the state.
Annette Hacker says there are people in all 99 counties who don’t have enough food to meet their needs…
Hacker says reasons for the problem including a reduction in poverty relief programs and SNAP benefits, as well as rising prices, and wages that haven’t kept up.
Buena Vista County’s food insecurity rate where people don’t get enough to eat is 10.3 percent…Sac 10.7…Pocahontas 11…Calhoun 11.3…Ida 11.4…Clay 12.2…and Cherokee County’s food insecurity rate is 13.1. The state rate is 12 percent.
Hacker says the results put more pressure on food banks to try and fill the gap…
The study is based on 2023 data. You can see the full survey at www.feedingamerica.org.
The Food Bank of Iowa serves 55 counties including Buena Vista, Calhoun, Clay, Ida, and Pocahontas.
(thanks to Radio Iowa for contributing)
