As winter continues to move in, a glaring issue across the state becomes more evident.

Food Bank of Iowa Vice President of Strategy and Communications Annette Hacker says that food the organization is doing its best to help food pantries in their 55 county service area to be stocked with essentials, but that more and more people are using the services of those pantries. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio that this food insecurity is an issue no matter where you go.

“Everybody is seeing high levels of need and we’re all working as hard as we can to meet that so that people in our communities and in our state don’t go to bed hungry and so that they have the nutrition they need to go to school and to go to work and to keep food on the table and to thrive.”

New Opportunities Family Development Coordinator Rhonda Huggins says that Guthrie County has also been seeing evidence of food insecurity, and that there has been an increasing number of families that need assistance. For those who want to help, donations can be made to the Guthrie County Food Pantry at Guthrie Center City Hall during regular City Hall hours.