A countywide effort resulted in 9,653 pounds and $4,303 collected for local food pantries during United Way of Story County’s seventh annual LIVE UNITED Food Drive. The amount of food collected increased by more than 1,500 pounds over last year’s drive.
The food drive ran for almost two weeks, and more than 100 local organizations served as collection spots for donations.
Thirteen food pantries in Ames, Cambridge, Colo, Huxley, Maxwell, McCallsburg/Zearing, Nevada, Slater/Sheldahl and Story City received the donations. Donations will be used by the food pantries to help keep shelves stocked during the summer, a time when the pantries feel more pressure due to students eating at home, rather than school, more often. Many of the pantries purchase food from the Food Bank of Iowa for as little as 14 cents per pound, which stretches the cash donations even further.
Adam Egeland, Food Drive committee member, collects donated items from Jason Grimm at Nevada Family Chiropractic.