Food insecurity continues to grow in Iowa, especially in rural areas. Every single county in Iowa is experiencing heightened food insecurity- in fact, 1 in 8 Iowans and 1 in 6 Iowa children don’t know where or when they will get their next meal. But if we can all work together, we can start to make progress against the growing issue of food insecurity across the country. The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) and Feeding America announced a partnership earlier this year to bring attention to the hunger crisis in rural America. Linda Nageotte, president and chief operating officer of Feeding America, said they are working hard to elevate the voices of people facing hunger.
September is Hunger Action Month, and it can’t be understated just how important farmers and ag communities are in the battle to end food insecurity. Nageotte said there are opportunities in communities across the country to volunteer.
All communities are impacted by food insecurity, but it disproportionately affects rural areas that don’t have immediate convenient access to grocery stores. This problem is especially impactful for children in those areas. Nageotte said many rural communities across America have food insecurity rates as high as almost 50%.
The recent start of the 2025-2026 school year also brings to attention the struggles that many families faced to keep their kids fed over the summer. After all, families don’t suddenly have more money in their paychecks to account for the extra groceries they have to purchase without school meals. Programs like Healthy Kids Iowa aimed to help those families over the summer, but there are real challenges in getting food out to every community. Nageotte said it takes as many hands as possible to prepare and distribute meals in rural areas.
However, it doesn’t have to be this way. There are many ways to get involved in fighting hunger in your area. Nageotte said it starts with volunteering and encouraging your neighbors to get involved as well.
The NAFB Hunger campaign is designed to help provide food and resources for people facing hunger including those living in rural communities, by directing donors to the Feeding America network of partner food banks. Through the dedicated nafbhunger.com site, donations will go directly to support local Feeding America network food banks based on the donor’s zip code.
