Food bank volunteer opportunities near Iowa City

Last year, 1 out of every 6 people in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.

According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were food insecure in 2022. That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.

The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, said in a statement accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an increase in the number of people they served.

It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, Stacker compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Iowa City using data from VolunteerMatch. Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.

Holiday Bell Ringers Wanted
- Organization: The Salvation Army of Iowa City
- Dates: Nov 10 to Dec 22
- Read more on website

Meal Prep, Serving, and Clean-up
- Organization: FREE LUNCH PROGRAM
- Dates: Nov 25 to Jan 31
- Read more on website

Mobile Pantry-Iowa City locations
- Organization: CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank
- Read more on website

Volunteers Needed to Address Food Insecurity
- Organization: Table to Table
- Read more on website

Help us feed your Neighbors in the Iowa City, IA area
- Organization: Lasagna Love
- Read more on website

Local Food System Education and Outreach VISTA
- Organization: Idealist.org
- Date: Jan 16
- Read more on website

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.