OTTUMWA —
Donations are down at the local food banks, but the numbers are up and hunger continues.
Jessi Milner, director of the Ecumenical Lord’s Cupboard in Ottumwa, said she’s been busy.
“I haven’t looked at the numbers from last June, but since the June 16 storm this year, we’ve been really busy,” she said Friday. “And the numbers are still up from last year. June usually doesn’t hit us this hard.”
At the beginning of a month, things usually settle down because people can get food stamps. She said the Lord’s Cupboard always needs contributions.
“We’re in the same position as the Food Bank of Southern Iowa,” Milner said.
Government commodities help, but if the commodities aren’t available, then people have to buy the food items at the store or hope someone provides it for the Lord’s Cupboard or the Food Bank.
Milner said the Cupboard doesn’t usually receive donations in the summer. Christmas is the food pantry’s best time to receive those.
“But in the summer, we do get fresh produce, and it’s nice to give that away,” she said.
Too many crops have failed during the heat, and Milner was surprised the Cupboard received any fresh tomatoes.
One downer was running out of deer meat that the Cupboard received through the HUSH Program. Milner can’t get any deer meat until the hunting season starts in the fall.
“More and more people are hungry, and the source won’t be there until hunting season,” she added.
Milner checked the list the Cupboard can order from and noticed there’s isn’t as much on that list. At least 13-14 food pantries have to share, and she appreciates whatever the Food Bank can do.
Neal Abbott, the executive director of the Food Bank of Southern Iowa, said there’s more of a demand for food, but the food supply is down.
“We’re not getting the donations we used to get,” he said Thursday. “But it’s just a cycle we go through on a normal basis. There are times when donations are good.”
One thing that has hurt the food banks is the cut in the USDA commodity program. It’s been cut almost in half for the past six to nine months, Abbott noted.
“The nationwide donations are down, too, according to what I hear from the rest of the food banks,” he said. “But I think it’s a short-lived problem and will turn around. There are low times and good times.”
Local News
Food banks seeing shrinking donations, growing demand
Cut in USDA commodity program has hurt banks
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