OMAHA, Neb. & Council Bluffs, Iowa (KMTV) —
- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has declined additional federal food assistance for children over the summer. She cites several reasons for doing so and her statement can be found here, on the state website.
- Foodbank for the Heartland and a food pantry in Council Bluffs, Care and Share House, say the decision will make their services even more necessary and make the summer months — when kids are home from school — harder for families who are food insecure.
- Video shows volunteers at Foodbank for the Heartland and the Care and Share House pantry in Council Bluffs. Interviews with Carol Thien, the volunteer executive director for Care and Share House and Stephanie Sullivan, a spokesperson for Foodbank for the Heartland.
- Foodbank for the Heartland: foodbankheartland.org
- Care and Share House: careandsharehouse.org
- READ MORE: Nebraska passes on food assistance program: "That decision will have ripple effects for years to come"
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Food insecurity in the Heartland is on the rise. I’m your southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel and I spoke with Foodbank for the Heartland and a food pantry in Council Bluffs who say demand for their services will only go up after a recent decision by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
“It's really disappointing that we’re not protecting our children.”
Stephanie Sullivan from Foodbank for the Heartland, which serves parts of Iowa, says the Reynolds Administration decision to decline additional federal, summer food assistance – for families with low incomes – will put more strain on food banks and the pantries they supply.
Sullivan: “Summer is a time when food insecurity rates rise because families who are already on strained budgets are struggling to feed the kids who are home for summer break.”
The summer EBT program would provide families in need with an extra $40 per child per month for three months.
In a statement, Reynolds said, in part…
“Federal COVID-era cash benefit programs are not sustainable and don’t provide long-term solutions for the issues impacting children and families. An EBT card does nothing to promote nutrition at a time when childhood obesity has become an epidemic.”
“...We’ve tried to go lower carbs and higher vegetables and fruits in our pantries and people usually select all those items.”
Carol Thien is the volunteer executive director at Care and Share House pantry and free store in Council Bluffs. She says people choose healthy food when they have access to it.
She says higher prices create challenges for families and food pantries, especially when kids are on break.
A mom called Thien, and arrived a few minutes later, saying she was skipping meals this week, so she could feed her children.
Sullivan: “The need is not going anywhere. It’s growing. And, the decision that the governor made will set us up for more challenges this summer at a time when the need increases.”
Thien: “We intend to be here providing food for families and we will continue to do what needs to be done to keep these families fed.”
Both organizations say monetary donations are the number one way individuals can help.
I’m your southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter, Katrina Markel.
