These four letters were submitted separately between Nov. 16-20.
By Dan Feltes, Iowa City
It is easy to think that families going hungry and food needs may have peaked at the height of COVID-19. In reality, the need in our community is only growing. CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank, which serves the greater Iowa City area, has seen the number of individuals and families needing food assistance increase by 44 percent over the last year, with the amount of food able to be distributed only increasing 13 percent.
The need for food far outpaces the amount of food on the shelves. This holiday season, our family is making a contribution to the CommUnity Crisis Service Food Bank, and we hope you might consider doing the same.
By Leslie Fitzpatrick, Iowa City
While many families are considering what recipes to try and presents to buy this holiday season, there are far too many of our neighbors who don’t know where their next meal will come from. CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank tries desperately to fill that need, and needs all of us to help them do so.
Food bank funding depends on individual support from neighbors like you, with an astounding approximately 75 percent of all food bank funding coming from individual donors. One dollar provides one pound of food when just two years ago that same dollar provided five pounds of food. Our community needs all of us.
Please consider donating to CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank. A little bit from everyone goes a long way for everyone.
By David Leshtz, Iowa City
Over 18,000 people in the Iowa City area were served by the CommUnity Food Bank in the last year. That’s a lot of food, and that means a lot of donations are needed.
As government support becomes less certain, more of our neighbors struggle to pay for things most of us take for granted. In addition to food, CommUnity Crisis Services helps families with baby items, clothes, rent and utility bills. You can’t be a healthy and productive member of our community if you’re constantly worried about feeding your kids, keeping the lights on, or paying for prescription medications.
About 75 percent of all food bank funding comes from individual donors. This holiday season, please consider a contribution to CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank at www.builtbycommunity.org. You’ll be contributing to the strength of our entire community.
By Patti Walden, Iowa City
The giving season is here, and with it comes the continuing challenge to feed hungry people right here in Johnson County.
Food insecurity lives near us, whether we realize it or not. CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank has been helping feed the hungry locally for more than 40 years. This year, its expanded Food Bank will distribute 1.98 million pounds of food to more than 18,000 of our neighbors, up 44 percent from 2022. Countywide coordination with grocers and restaurants helps to maximize resources. Mobile pantries deliver to families who can’t get to the Food Bank.
It is a monumental effort, but it falls far short of addressing the need. Current donations allow CommUnity to give a family about 37 pounds of food per week, far less than a full 200-pound shopping cart. Post-pandemic cuts in assistance programs and inflation place additional stress on these families.
This giving season, we need your help. You can donate groceries at the Pepperwood Plaza location or mail us a check to buy in your behalf. Sign up online at www.builtbycommunity.org for a volunteer shift and read about the comprehensive array of other support services.
