Nebraska food bank experiencing highest demand in decades
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - September is Hunger Action Month: a time to recognize the issue of food insecurity that continues to plague people across the country.
Food Bank for the Heartland is working to fight it.
The food bank serves people in 93 counties across Nebraska and western Iowa.
Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications Stephanie Sullivan said the number of people in need of those services is reaching new heights.
“Right now, 1 in 8 individuals, with 1 in 5 being children, are experiencing food insecurity,” Sullivan said. “These numbers are unacceptable.”
Sullivan said these are the highest numbers the food bank has seen in 43 years. She said they have been operating in a crisis mode since the flood that swept through the Heartland in 2019.
“Hunger knows no boundaries,” Sullivan said. “It doesn’t matter what your background is, what your ethnicity is, what your zip code is. It is affecting everyone.”
Heading into the winter months, there’s an even greater uptick in demand.
A growing volunteer base is working to meet the need. Sullivan said they work 52,000 hours every year, but they aren’t meeting the demand just yet.
“We haven’t been for quite some time,” Sullivan said. “However, we know that with the work we’re doing here in our warehouse and through the generous support of our community, somebody is going to go home tonight and have a meal because of the work that we’re doing.”
The food bank has more than 500 partners that they use to distribute their food. Sullivan said a common misconception is that you can pick up food at their warehouse. If you visit their website you can do a quick search to find the location closest to you.
“Clean out your pantry. Drop off that food. You can work with your company and host a food drive and drop off that food,” Sullivan said. “We are always looking for ways to bring more donated food into our warehouse.”
For Hunger Action Month, the food bank is matching donations made up to $65,000. You can find more information about this here.
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