COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Advisory
See what individuals and groups are doing to support Food Bank of Iowa’s COVID-19 relief efforts.
Food Bank of Iowa operations are continuing uninterrupted as the need grows. Our top priority remains to ensure that our most vulnerable neighbors have safe access to the nutrition and resources they need.
In coordination with Feeding America, Food Bank of Iowa is actively monitoring developments related to COVID-19. We are taking proactive measures to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers, and partner agencies as we ramp up to serve a rapidly growing need.
Kids from low-income families are missing meals they used to get at school. Schools aren’t open to distribute backpack food. Families do not have access to school pantries. Hourly wage earners are being sent home as more events are canceled and retail operations shrink or cease. Normal walk-in pantry distributions are being changed to more expensive drive-by food box drops.
Our volunteer center is open, and volunteers are needed now more than ever. We remain committed to our standard safety measures and have taken additional measures to control disease transmission within the volunteer center. The safety of our volunteers is our utmost concern.
As we pivot toward more mobile food distributions in order to meet increasing need, fill in for services lost through school partners and compensate for stressed pantry distributions, our food and material costs are quickly mounting, and employees are working overtime.
We are grateful for our committed partners, industrious volunteers, generous donors and tireless team of hunger-fighters. Thank you for continuing to work together toward our shared goal of a hunger-free Iowa.
As stated earlier, the need is great. Your support ensures Food Bank of Iowa can respond quickly to emergencies such as COVID-19.
We will continue to keep you updated through our website and social media channels. As we know more, we will share information with you.