Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Hunger And Food Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Black Hawk County proclaims September 2025 Hunger Action Month after food‑bank presentation
Summary
The Board of Supervisors on Sept. 2 adopted a resolution recognizing September as Hunger Action Month after a presentation by Barb Crater of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank outlining rising food‑insecurity and the food bank’s $14 million capacity campaign.
Barb Crater, executive director of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, told the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 2 that food insecurity is rising across the food bank’s 16‑county service area and asked the board to recognize September as Hunger Action Month.
Crater said more than 45,000 people in Northeast Iowa are food insecure, an increase she described as roughly 11 percent over the prior year, and said demand for food‑bank services has reached record levels. “For too many people, food insecurity is not going away,” she said. Crater also described a capital campaign, From Hunger to Hope, to expand pantry, freezer and volunteer space at the food bank’s facility in Lafayette; the campaign target is $14 million and the food bank has raised a little over $7 million to date.
The board adopted a resolution recognizing September 2025 as Hunger Action Month in Black Hawk County and called the observance to the attention of citizens. The resolution, read during the meeting, notes that the Northeast Iowa Food Bank distributed more than 8.4 million meals in 2024 and that one in six children face food insecurity in the region.
Why it matters: Supervisors said the proclamation is intended to raise awareness and encourage volunteerism and donations at a time when the food bank reports rising need and is expanding facility capacity. The board’s formal recognition also signals continued local government collaboration with the Feeding America network affiliate that serves the county and surrounding area.
Details of the proclamation and vote: The board moved and seconded the resolution during the proclamations portion of the Sept. 2 regular session and completed a roll call in favor of adoption. Supervisors Brandt, Schwartz, Kernbach, Leland and Paul recorded affirmative votes. There was no recorded opposition.
Background and next steps: Crater asked the board to continue considering support for the food bank and to publicize volunteer and donation opportunities during Hunger Action Month. The food bank plans events and outreach throughout September to promote volunteer shifts, social shares and gifts to help those who face tough choices between food and other necessities such as medicine, utilities or childcare.
The board did not take additional fiscal action at the meeting related to the food bank; the resolution is a formal recognition rather than an appropriation.
