One year later: Some Iowa families struggle to make ends meet
Share
Updated: 5:23 PM CST Mar 11, 2021
Share
Updated: 5:23 PM CST Mar 11, 2021
Hide Transcript
Show Transcript
STACEY: COVID-19 HAS HIT IOWA FAMILIES HARD. AND THE ECONOMIC SETBACKS ARE STILL BEING FELT ACROSS THE STATE, ONE YEAR LATER. STEVE: THEY ARE. KCCI’S TOMMIE CLARK WENT TO BOONE TO SPEAK WITH A FAMILY RELYING ON HELP TO MAKE ENDS MEET. >> IT’S BEEN, IT’S BEEN TOUGH. TOMMIE: STUDENTS FROM THE FUTURES ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL IN BOONE UNLOAD A TRUCK-LOAD OF FOOD TWICE A MONTH. FILLING THE SCHOOL-BASED TOREADOR FOOD PANTRY, BUT ALL OF THIS WILL GO QUICK FOOD INSECURITY IS NOW DOUBLE WHAT IT WAS IN AND TRIPLE FOR 2020 FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, ACCORDING TO FEEDING AMERICA. THAT STATISTIC INCLUDES THE RICE FAMILY. >> THAT’S THE NUMBER ONE THING. TAKE CARE OF YOUR KIDS, AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT. IF PLACES LIKE THIS WEREN’T HERE, DEFINITELY THAT’D BE A MAJOR PROBLEM. TOMMIE: TERENCE RICE WENT FROM USING THE FOOD PANTRY TWICE EVER TO TWICE A MONTH, DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE FATHER OF FOUR, ON DISABILITY, SAYS THE PANTRY HELPS HIM PROVIDE FOR HIS KIDS. >> THEY ARE MY LIFE AND MY EVERYTHING. >> WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR FACE MASKS ON. TOMMIE: THE TEAM BEHIND THE FOOD PANTRY WITNESSED THE NEED DRASTICALLY INCREASE ONE YEAR AGO. >> WE STARTED A DRIVE THRU PANTRY. I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT OUR NUMBERS WERE. >> HIGH. >> THEY WERE HUGE. WE HAD PEOPLE LINED UP IN CARS FOR BLOCKS AWAY. >> BLOCKS AND BLOCKS AND BLOCKS. >> AND EVER SINCE THEN WE HAVE JUST BEEN BUSY. TOMMIE: THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA SAYS FOOD INSECURITY HAS FORCED IOWANS TO MAKE TOUGH CHOICES. >> IT BREAKS YOUR HEART, THE THINGS YOU’RE HEARING. TOMMIE: MAKING PLACES LIKE THIS, MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. WORKING IN THE FAMILY. SO BEING ABLE TO COME HERE TO THE FOOD PANTRY HAS REALLY HELPED. STEVE: IN 2020, THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 17 MILLION MEALS. THAT IS 5 MILLION MORE THAN IN