Throughout November and December, the Idaho Food Bank is expediting efforts to feed the hungry during this festive season with its Hope for the Holidays Campaign. Kia Shaw, the Eastern Idaho Branch manager for the Idaho Food Bank, shared the projected goal for meals distributed in Idaho during this campaign.
“Our goal is to be able to provide enough food for over 2 million meals each month across the state of Idaho…We have holiday traditions that everyone wants to participate in. Everyone wants to be normal and have a great Thanksgiving dinner and to provide Christmas for their kids or for their families. And so, now we have that expense coming out on top of everything else and so the need for the winter really does go up for the Idaho Food Banks. We really want to make sure we have enough food and enough resources to meet that need that we’re going to be expecting to see,” Shaw said.
The Idaho State University ceramic students and the Pocatello Arts Council collaborated for an Empty Bowls fundraiser in the month of November. Local people can purchase handmade clay bowls for $20 each, the proceeds of which are applied to feeding the hungry. Stinker Stores and Albertsons will be participating in raising awareness for hunger through in-store donations to the Idaho Food Bank and related programs.
Families in need can be recommended for food assistance at idahofoodbank.org/getfood/ where the Food Assistance Locator will identify the nearest food bank facilities. The holiday season is a perfect time to give back. Volunteers can register to support local food banks by clicking this link. For more information about the getting involved with the Hope for the Holidays Campaign, please visit the Idaho Food Bank website.