News : AmeriCorps NCCC Helping with Food Insecurity in Iowa

NCCC members Abby and Elijah are dividing good food from bad at the food bank.

NCCC members Andre putting cardboard boxes in a compressor.

NCCC members are Andre, Kenan, and Ethan, dividing food for the elderly.

NCCC member packing food to be delivered to other food banks.

NCCC members bagging food to handed out at food banks.

By: Angela Sarrels

Two AmeriCorps NCCC teams are partnering with the State of Iowa, Volunteer Iowa, and Northeast Iowa Food Bank to address food insecurity in Iowa resulting from the impact of COVID-19.

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is in the process of receiving bulk amounts of donated and purchased food from suppliers. These items are then being transported to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank location, processed, and delivered to six Food Banks throughout Iowa for distribution to families in need. Items may include oatmeal, rice, pasta, and cereal.

NCCC members are assisting in processing the bulk donations into smaller containers, labeling and then preparing the items for transportation to the other food banks.

Members from the North Central Campus in Vinton, Iowa began serving with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank on Monday, June. 15. One member stated, "Today, we spent most of our time making boxes and labeling all of them so that the other team could divide the food out for programs. Time flew by pretty quickly and I think all of us were happy to see how much of an impact we made on the work."