Des Moines, Iowa –  Food Bank of Iowa officials, today (Thursday), announced a partnership with Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm and Feeding America® to immediately provide food for Iowans in need and build long-term technology solutions to scale the food bank’s impact. The announcement is part of a larger initiative from Google.org and Feeding America to help provide 50 million meals to communities across the United States. Food Bank of Iowa serves 55 of Iowa’s 99 counties, reaching Iowans across a 30,000-square-mile footprint that spans the northern to southern border.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says “With persistent inflation, increased grocery costs, and continued supply chain disruptions, family budgets are stretched thin and there is a significant ongoing need for donations to our food banks and food pantries. I encourage the support of our food banks and food pantries, and I hope this inspires other businesses, organizations, and individuals to give what they can in order to help our neighbors in need.”

Today, 34 million Americans, including nine million children, face food insecurity. Among Feeding America network food banks, 90% report an increased or sustained need over the last month. Food Bank of Iowa has experienced this firsthand. Demand for food assistance is at an all-time high in Iowa, with the past five months setting records in the number of individuals and households served by Food Bank of Iowa and its 700 partners.

Michelle Book, Food Bank of Iowa President and CEO, says “We are working to meet the highest need in our 40-year history. Our frontline partners are seeing double, triple and even quadruple the number of individuals seeking help with food, and we are grateful for this funding from Google to help combat food insecurity in Iowa.”  Google has seen the need reflected in Google Search Trends on a national and local level in Iowa. Nationally, Google sees a spike in searches for food support every November, but more than ever before, Americans are making searches around “food” and “prices” in 2022. They are also searching “how to give back” more than ever, with searches for “where to donate food near me” skyrocketing 850% over the past five years.

In Iowa, searches for food have increased, including: “Food pantry near me” searches in Iowa have increased by 1300% over the past 5 years. Search interest in SNAP reached an all time high in Iowa on January 2021 “Where to donate food near me” searches increased by 180% over the past five years in Iowa “Addressing food insecurity requires a sustained and coordinated approach. We’re proud to partner with Feeding America to deliver over 50 million meals to people in need, and to work with them to strengthen their technology infrastructure,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. “We’re also making our products, like Search and Maps, more helpful to people searching for resources or ways to give back.”

Any organization or individual interested in joining the fight for a hunger-free Iowa can volunteer, donate and learn more at www.foodbankiowa.org. While donated food is always appreciated, monetary donations go even farther to provide meals for Iowa children, families, seniors and veterans. A donation of $10 will provide more than a week’s worth of food for an Iowan in need. Food Bank of Iowa will also receive donated Search Ads to connect people looking for help with resources, provide avenues for others to give back and drive food security awareness nationwide.