On Thursday, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she is again refusing to allow Iowans to participate in a USDA program that provides millions of dollars in direct assistance to families with children to help cover the increased cost of food during summer months when kids aren’t in school. “In Iowa, our focus is on the comprehensive […]
Food insecurity
Posted inEastern Iowa
Hawkeye women’s hoops stars hope to push Coralville Community Food Pantry fundraiser over $20,000
On Friday afternoon, four people who donated to this month’s fundraiser for the Coralville Community Food Pantry (CCFP) will have a chance to go letter-for-letter with two star players from the University of Iowa women’s basketball team in a game of H-O-R-S-E. The game will take place at a special event marking the end of […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Win a chance to lose to Hawkeye women’s basketball stars while helping Coralville Community Food Pantry fight hunger
Caitlin Clark wasn’t just a star on the basketball court during her time with the Hawkeyes; she was also a star when it came to rallying support for the Coralville Community Food Pantry (CCFP). Clark headlined fundraising campaigns for the food pantry in 2022 and 2023 that raised a combined total of more than $100,000. […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa Food Systems Coalition sees future of state’s agriculture in food diversity, not ethanol and animal feed
A new plan for Iowa agriculture seeks to increase the state’s production of food rather than ethanol and animal feed, the Iowa Food System Coalition announced at a Monday press conference. The plan, known as Setting the Table for All Iowans, outlines the coalition’s policy goals which include producing more locally grown food, getting more […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
CommUnity launches campaign to help its food bank meet increased summer demand
As food banks across Iowa see demands for their services increase over summer, CommUnity Crisis Services is holding a “Strike Out Hunger” fundraiser to make sure its food bank is able to meet those needs in Johnson County. The annual summer school break is always a challenge for food banks, as kids who receive lunch […]
Posted inCommunity/News
New report: Iowa drops below Wisconsin, Illinois and Nebraska in education rankings
Iowa scored relatively well in education rankings among the states, but with declining test scores and on-time high school graduation rates decreasing, the state has fallen from its highs of previous years, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Sixty-seven percent of Iowa fourth-graders in 2022 were not proficient in reading, […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Des Moines area food banks see a record-breaking surge in people needing assistance as June begins
Food banks always see an increase in the number of people who need help at the beginning of summer, as school vacations begin and kids no longer have easy access to the meals at school. But even with that expected increase, the surge the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) Food Pantry Network experienced this week […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Months after rejecting $29 million in federal aid for food-insecure families, Gov. Reynolds announces ‘competitive’ grants offering 3% of that funding
A little more than four months ago, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced she would not permit Iowa families who receive federal food assistance from receiving an extra $40 per child a month in benefits over three months to help cover the increased costs of feeding children who won’t be eating school lunches or breakfasts during summer […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
CommUnity seeks community support as Project Holiday returns for its 36th year
This holiday season, CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank will provide all the necessary groceries to prepare a full holiday meal to almost 1,300 families in Johnson County. The Project Holiday program is in its 36th year, and the need for food bank assistance is greater than ever. “We’ve seen the need for food assistance […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa food banks in ‘dire situation,’ anticipate more strain if governor signs restrictions on SNAP benefits
Food banks across the state continue to struggle to meet the needs of their communities as food insecurity rises in Iowa. On Tuesday morning, CommUnity Crisis Services in Iowa City sent out a news release to let the public know the strain its food bank is under. The food bank, which expanded in 2020 and […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Table to Table needs help after catalytic converter theft takes two food rescue vans out of commission
Table to Table (T2T) has become one of the leaders in the fight against hunger in Iowa since its founding in 1996, collecting food that would otherwise be thrown away from restaurants, grocery stores and farms, and then distributing it to organizations that serve people experiencing or on the cusp of food insecurity. With food […]
Posted inLetters
Letter to the editor: CommUnity’s food bank needs our help
By Ellen Ballas, Iowa City Eastern Iowans: our local food bank in Iowa City needs monetary or food donations to help keep our neighbors fed. I received their email stating their donations are down and their inventory is scarce. There were “1,640 more visits to the Food Bank in January than the month prior.” Additionally, […]
