(Radio Iowa) - The head of the largest food bank in the state says nearly 11 percent of Iowans do not have consistent, reliable access to nutritious food due to their household finances -- and the rising cost of food.
Food Bank of Iowa C-E-O Michelle Book says food prices are up 25 percent in the past four years. She says there are 345-thousand Iowans who are estimated to be in need food assistance and 100-thousand of them are children.
The Food Bank of Iowa -- which supplies food pantries in 55 of Iowa's 99 counties -- is spending about one million dollars a month on food, and Book says they will distribute about 230 percent more food this year than they did when she started as the C-E-O in 2016. She is retiring on December 31st.