BOISE, Idaho — Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the Idaho Foodbank was able to provide enough food to plate 2 million meals for Idaho families in need.
The goal for December is to provide another 2 million meals to people experiencing food insecurity.
Since the start of the pandemic back in March 2020, The Idaho Foodbank went from serving nearly 180,000 to almost 200,000 families a month. They are seeing a slight decrease in those numbers.
“Although we still are above pre-pandemic numbers, in terms of people that are seeking assistance, that number has come down from the peak of the pandemic. So this holiday season, we provided just about the same amount of food as we did last year, and we are really fortunate to be able to do that and really meet people where they are,” said Morgan Wilson, the chief development officer for the Idaho foodbank.
People with the food bank hope the community continues to give throughout the entire month of December.
“We of course want to provide some of those holiday foods that people may be used to, but we also want to focus on providing the nutritious food people need to really thrive -- so lots of fresh produce and, for canned items, making sure that it's low in sodium or that's it’s (packed) in juice versus in sugar,” Wilson said.
According to Wilson, 1 in 9 Idahoans may be experiencing hunger, a problem the food bank is dedicated to fixing.
“We feel like we are on track right now, but it’s important that we continue to seek the support so we can provide not just holiday food and food during this season, but really well into the spring, when a lot of times those food and fund donations drop off,” Wilson said.
The Idaho Foodbank is one of the beneficiaries of 7Cares Idaho Shares, KTVB's annual campaign to strengthen the community safety net in southwestern and south-central Idaho. The 14th annual 7Cares Idaho Shares effort is underway now through Saturday, Dec. 11. Donations are accepted online.
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