Midwest Community Federal Credit Union

Johnson County food drive kicks off on Friday

An annual community-wide food drive is celebrating its 13th year of service as ”Thanksgiving in July” kicks off in Johnson County on Friday.

Geared towards collecting food and hygiene products for families in need during the summer months, “Thanksgiving in July” helps to fill pantry shelves when demand for supplementary food increases drastically.

The increased seasonal demand often arises from the fact that children, who may otherwise eat free or reduced lunch two times a day while at school, are now at  home. Daycare costs also drain some families’ financial resources that would usually be used to buy groceries during the summer.

“Everyone donates to the pantries around Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that’s great, but there is a great need for food in the summer,” Mercy Iowa City Executive Chef and “Thanksgiving in July” Event Founder Ron Hall said.

Last year’s community-wide food drive ended up collecting around 40,000 pounds of donated items, or about two weeks worth of food that can be distributed to local individuals and families in need.

This year, local pantries hope to collect an even greater amount, as the need for food and monetary donations in Johnson County continues to be on the rise.

According to the Johnson County Crisis Center, local food pantries have experienced as much as a 30 percent increase in food assistance requests within the last year. 

“Around 49 percent of the individuals and families we help are ones that do not qualify for Federal food assistance programs,” Johnson County Crisis Center Communications Director Beth Ritter Ruback said. “The economy has led to many people to be unable to afford food.”

The Johnson County Crisis Center distributes approximately 60,000 pounds of groceries on a monthly basis. 

Last year the Crisis Center helped more than 16,000 families in Johnson County, with 75 percent of all food items distributed coming from donations.

Financial donations, canned fruit and juice, canned meat, hearty soups and stews, canned vegetables, toilet paper, baby formula and diapers top the list of the Crisis Center and community food banks’ most-needed donations at the current time. All donations made will remain in Johnson County to help local families in need.

Ritter Ruback says that financial donations to the Crisis Center and area food pantries are especially helpful because they are non-profit organizations and can purchase food at wholesale prices. However, donated food from when people clean out their kitchen pantry is also great because it adds variety to what items are usually available.

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Principal Reduction Alternative (PRA)

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Eligibility

You may be eligible for PRA if: