STACEY, AMANDA, THANK YOU. BREAKING RECORDS EVERY MONTH. THAT’S WHAT’S HAPPENING AT URBANDALE FOOD PANTRY. A RECORD NUMBER OF FAMILIES HAVE NEEDED HELP EVERY SINGLE MONTH. KCCI IS MARCUS MCINTOSH IS LIVE AT THE URBANDALE FOOD PANTRY TONIGHT WITH A LOOK AT HOW THE PANTRY IS ABLE TO MEET THE RECORD BREAKING NEED. MARCUS. STACY, OPEN 40 HOURS A WEEK. THE RECORD BREAKING NUMBER OF FAMILIES BEING SERVED BY THE URBANDALE FOOD PANTRY BEHIND ME EACH MONTH STARTED BACK IN APRIL OF 2022, AVERAGING 160 NEW FAMILIES A MONTH, JUMPING SOME 40% FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR. 12. DANNY, 12, YOU LIKE YOU GOT CRANBERRY OVER THERE. JANELLE UDO NICHOLS IS TAKING HER TURN INSIDE THE URBANDALE FOOD PANTRY. THIS PROGRESSIVE SOUP GETTING3 WHAT SHE NEEDS TO GET HER TO THE NEXT MONTH. UDO NICHOLS KNOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FOOD PANTRY. THE FOOD PANTRY IS PROBABLY A VERY CENTRAL ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. FIVE CANS ALL THE WAY DOWN. SHE IS NOT SURPRISED. THE URBANDALE FOOD PANTRY IS SEEING A RECORD NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING THROUGH THE DOORS EVERY MONTH. THEY’RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF ALL THE NECESSARY THINGS THAT THEY NEED. THE DEMAND IS SO GREAT. THE FOOD THAT COMES INTO THE PANTRY DOES NOT STAY HERE VERY LONG. IT IS BASICALLY A PRODUCTION LINE. FOOD GOES IN ONE DOOR AND OUT ANOTHER. PATTY SNEDDON CASTING IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE URBANDALE FOOD PANTRY. DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, WE HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 20,000 POUNDS OF FOOD THAT COMES IN AND OUT OF OUR DOORS EVERY SINGLE WEEK. DESPITE THAT AMOUNT, KEEPING UP WITH THE NEED IS NOT EASY. THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WE’RE SERVING IS NOT SLOWING DOWN. ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT. WE’VE BROKEN RECORDS THE LAST 18 MONTHS IN A ROW. AND RIGHT NOW, NOVEMBER IS LOOKING AT BREAKING ANOTHER RECORD. STEN KISTING SAYS THIS MONTH THEY ARE ON TRACK TO SERVE MORE THAN 2000 FAMILIES, UP FROM THE 1800 THEY SERVED IN OCTOBER. IT’S A STARK REMINDER THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE SO THEN KISTING SAYS WITH THE HOLIDAY SEASON UPON US, SHE EXPECTS THE NEED AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THE PANTRY SERVES TO INCREASE. SHE SAYS IF YOU’D LIKE TO HELP, YOU CAN DONATE. YOU CAN VOLUNTEER, OR YOU CAN HOLD A FOOD DRIVE. WE’RE LIVE IN URBANDALE. I’M MARC
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Urbandale Food Pantry says need for help continues to rise
Updated: 7:57 PM CST Nov 15, 2023
Since April 2022, the Urbandale Food Pantry has been setting records every month in the number of families it is serving, seeing an average of 160 new families a month.”We’ve broken records the last 18 months in a row. Right now, November is looking to break another record,” Urbandale Food Pantry Executive Director Patty Sneddon-Kisting said.The demand is so great the food that comes into the pantry does not stay long.”During the month of November, we have anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 pounds of food that come in and out of our doors every single week,” Sneddon-Kisting said.This month, the pantry is on track to serve more than 2,000 families, up from the 1,800 served in October.”It is a stark reminder that there are many in our community that are struggling to put food on the table,” Sneddon-Kisting said.A struggle that will not slow down with the holiday season upon us.Sneddon-Kisting says if people want to help, they can volunteer, donate or hold a food drive. You can learn more about those opportunities on the Urbandale Food Pantry’s website.
Since April 2022, the Urbandale Food Pantry has been setting records every month in the number of families it is serving, seeing an average of 160 new families a month.
“We’ve broken records the last 18 months in a row. Right now, November is looking to break another record,” Urbandale Food Pantry Executive Director Patty Sneddon-Kisting said.
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The demand is so great the food that comes into the pantry does not stay long.
“During the month of November, we have anywhere from 15,000 to 20,000 pounds of food that come in and out of our doors every single week,” Sneddon-Kisting said.
This month, the pantry is on track to serve more than 2,000 families, up from the 1,800 served in October.
“It is a stark reminder that there are many in our community that are struggling to put food on the table,” Sneddon-Kisting said.
A struggle that will not slow down with the holiday season upon us.
Sneddon-Kisting says if people want to help, they can volunteer, donate or hold a food drive. You can learn more about those opportunities on the Urbandale Food Pantry’s website.