Food bank can’t keep up with increased demand

WILLIAMSBURG — For the first time in years, Iowa County Food Bank is having a food drive.

“We are not getting enough donations to meet the increased demand,” said Paula Watkins, President of Iowa County Food Bank. “We had our first deficit spending last year. And this year, the demand continues to rise.”

Companies used to have food drives periodically, bringing in large amounts of food. “We’re not seeing some of those food drives that used to occur,” Watkins said.

So this year the food bank is hosting a food drive for the holiday season.

Canned fruits and vegetables, soup, tuna, canned chicken, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, pancake mix, syrup, hamburger helper and peanut butter are among requested items that can be dropped off at the First Presbyterian Church in Williamsburg or at the Williamsburg Public Library.

Monetary donations can be mailed to Iowa County Food Bank, P.O. Box 1121, Williamsburg, IA 52361.

The food drive runs through Dec. 15.

Iowa County Food Bank provides emergency food assistance to Iowa County residents on a short-term basis. The nonprofit agency incorporated in1982 by Residents of Marengo, Williamsburg, Conroy and South Amana incorporated the nonprofit agency in 1982. It is operated entirely by volunteers.

“Basically, prior to COVID, our shelves were stocked,” said Watkins. “Supply and demand were just fine.”

When movement was restricted during the pandemic, people stopped having food drives, Watkins said.

But demand did not decrease. Inflation drove more people to the food bank, and, in May, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 494 into law, requiring new asset tests for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, causing people to seek help from food banks.

SNAP is a federal program that operates in all 50 states. On average, 41.2 million people in 21.6 million households received monthly SNAP benefits in 2022 nationwide.

During COVID lockdowns, Congress authorized extra SNAP benefits and suspended work and training requirements, and the number of recipients jumped from 37.2 million to more than 40.9 million, topping out in September of 2020 at just over 43 million recipients, 13% of the resident population.

The average monthly benefit in Iowa for a family on SNAP was $306 a month, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture which oversees the program.

Many families using SNAP also visit food banks.

The Iowa County Food Bank is funded by donations from churches, civic groups, businesses and individuals. Money is used almost exclusively to purchase food but has been used to purchase shelving and freezers — before money became short.

“Until last year, supply and demand was fine,” Watkins said. “I’ve been the president since January of 2018, and I’ve never had to put media out there that we’ve needed food.”

In 2022, Williamsburg had 318 pickups from the food bank, providing for 621 adults and 509 children. In Marengo, 197 families were served — 436 adults and 221 children.

That’s in increase of 100% from 2021, Watkins said. The food bank was short about $12,000.

Through October of 2023, the food bank is short by $33,157.

Williamsburg served 206 families (426 adults, 341 children) and Marengo, 223 families (486 adults and 248 children) so far this year.

The food bank has had to cut back on gift certificates for perishable food items because of lack of funds, said Watkins. Families can receive the gift certificates only six times a year now rather than monthly. They are redeemable at Brothers Market in Williamsburg or Big “G” in Marengo.

Residents do not need a referral to use the food bank, and there are no forms to fill out.

Food is distributed based on family size, said Watkins. The food bank doesn’t have a storefront; all distribution is by appointment, but the turnaround time is quick, Watkins said.

Anyone who needs food assistance can call 319-721-7640 in Marengo or 319-668-1375 in Williamsburg to request food. A volunteer collects the food from the storage location and takes it to the distribution location where it is picked up by appointment.

“The food is stored at city hall,” said Suzanne Kabisch, at First Presbyterian Church. “We handle the calls.”

Items for the food bank can be donated at the church any time, said Kabisch. “Even when there isn’t a food drive going on, people can and do drop off food there,” she said.

Iowa County Food Bank is not affiliated with Hawkeye Area Community Action Program.