Statewide Iowa – The head of the largest food bank in the state says nearly 11 percent of Iowans do not have consistent, reliable access to nutritious food due to their household finances — and the rising cost of food. Food Bank of Iowa CEO Michelle Book says food prices are up 25 percent in the past four years.
During the last school year, 42 percent of Iowa’s K-through-12 students were served free or reduced price lunches at school through the USDA’s national school lunch program.
The Food Bank of Iowa — which supplies food pantries in 55 of Iowa’s 99 counties — is spending about a million dollars a month on food.
And this year the Food Bank of Iowa will distribute about 230 percent more food than it did when Book started as the organization’s CEO in 2016. She is retiring on December 31st.
Book discussed her work at the Food Bank of Iowa during a recent episode of “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS. There are three other Feeding America Food Banks in Iowa — in Davenport, Waterloo and Hiawatha — and the Food Bank of the Heartland in Omaha also serves western Iowa counties.
Food Bank of Iowa CEO Michelle Book, on left, appeared on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS earlier this month. (Iowa PBS photo)
