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.

(Griswold, Iowa) – Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh reports that on Tuesday, November 22nd, the Griswold Community School District will host a mental health night at Griswold High School (20 Madison St. Griswold, IA 51535) from 5:00-7:00 PM. All middle-school and high-school students and supportive adults in Cass County are invited to attend the free event.

From 5:00-6:00 PM attendees will enjoy free pizza sponsored by the Griswold United Methodist Youth (First come, first served), and have the chance to meet representatives from mental health organizations serving Cass County, including Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, Therapy Place, Full Circle Therapy, Cass County ISU Extension, Southwest Iowa Mental Health and Disability Services Region, Project Recovery Iowa, the Eating Disorder Coalition of Iowa, and National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southwest Iowa.

At 6:00, NAMI Southwest Iowa will present “Ending the Silence,” a presentation on the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition. As part of the presentation, a young adult with a mental health condition will share their journey of recovery. Audience members will be able to ask questions and gain understanding of an often-misunderstood topic.

Details:

Griswold Mental Health Night
When: Tuesday, November 22, 5:00-7:00 PM
Where: Griswold High School (20 Madison St. Griswold, IA 51535)
Who: All middle school and high school students and supportive adults from all Cass County
school districts are invited!
What: Mental health is health. Come learn how to be kind to your mind and support others
when they’re struggling.
5:00-6:00 PM – Meet organizations providing mental health services and support in Cass
County and enjoy free pizza.
6:00-7:00 PM – “Ending the Silence” presentation on the warning signs of mental health
conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental
health condition. Presentation by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southwest
Iowa.
Cost: Free!
Food: Free pizza sponsored by the Griswold United Methodist Youth will be available from
5:00-6:00 PM, first come, first served.
Contact: Cass County Wellness Coordinator, Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or 712-
249-5870.

Remember, too: Free mental health resources available to people in Cass County 24/7 include:

• Your Life Iowa: For problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, suicidal thoughts or mental health. Call: (855) 581-8111, Text: (855)895-8398, Chat: www.yourlifeiowa.org.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or call 988 for emotional support. Chat: www.988lifeline.org/chat
• Iowa Concern: For stress counseling, legal education, and financial concerns. www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern/ or Call/text: (800)447-1985.
• Project Recovery Iowa: Free counseling via virtual sessions, chat, or phone. Phone: (800) 447-1985, Spanish: (531)800-3687, www.projectrecoveryiow.org

For information on community wellness events or resources, follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty. Healthy Cass County is a community-focused volunteer network formed to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents. Reach out to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or call 712-249-5870 for more
information. Healthy Cass County welcomes participants from across Cass County.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report three separate residents were arrested, and subsequently cited before being released, on charges of allowing an animal to run at-large. Authorities say 32-year-old Brooke Marie Carter, 56-year-old James Orville Conley, and 19-year-old Dustin John Baker, all of Creston, were issued citations at their respective locations, and then released on a promise to appear in court.

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents has approved plans for several million dollars of work on buildings on the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa campuses. U-I vice president Rod Lehnertz, presented plans for remodeling the Burge Residence Hall. “This will renovate house two and four of our student living spaces in Burge. The project itself — we’re asking for approval the budget at four-point-seven million dollars, to be funded by the University Housing renewal and improvement funds,” he says. Burge Hall was built in 1957, and he says the renovation will modernize the facility and keep it in use.

“Burge serves a very important part of our east campus residence hall system because it has the largest food service system as well. And so it serves all of the other halls,” Lehnertz says. “Our oldest residence hall Courrier Hall, was built in 1915, and still serves as a modern feeling residence hall because of these kinds of modernizations.” He says Burge will remain in use during the renovation — which will happen in the summer of 2024 and 2025. The Board of Regents also gave approval for the updated plan to put in artificial turf at the rec complex. “We will be replacing the surface of the existing grass fields. Put grass in quotes, it’s grass and dirt. It’s been a problem for years because of a very flat terrain and surface drainage, leading to not just canceled events and canceled recreation opportunities for our students but even canceled seasons,” according to Lehnetz.

He says the budget is five-point-eight million dollars for the project, which will be paid for with Recreation Services funds. Lehnertz says the new fields will says roughly 750-thosuand to one million dollars each year in maintenance. Iowa State University received approval for the remodeling of parts of the Memorial Union. Heather Paris once part involves the second floor. “This is a two-pint-two-five million dollar project to remodel five-thousand square feet on the second floor, which is the main level of our Memorial Union,” she says.”The impacted second floor area would open the Colonel Pride Lounge to the main east west corridor, and it includes spaces that were formerly used by the U-S Postal Service our lectures program and the hotel desk when that was in the Memorial Union.” She says the remodel will make it a larger, more attractive space for students to meet, study and dine.

The project would begin next summer and run through the winter of 2024. The second part of the project involves the third floor remodel. “This is a four-point-three million dollar project to renovate 12-thousand square feet in the third floor area between the bookstore and the parking ramp of the Memorial Union,” Paris says. The project remodels offices vacated by Student Services — and will create two suites with offices, a student lounge and study rooms for the multicultural student affairs and student support services. It is scheduled to start next summer. The University of Northern Iowa received questing approval for the design and budget for the Gallager Bluedorn Performing Arts Center expansion project.
Michael Hager presented the plans.

“The Gallagher Bludorn Performing Arts Center is almost 25 years old. When it was built, there were budget challenges and the decision was made at the time to limit some of the patron amenities and focus on the performance venues. And that was a wise decision back then, it served us very well,” Hager says. He says the facility serves thousands of people each year. “This particular project will remodel about 45-hundred square feet and adds on about 16-thousand-400. Most of that addition is focused on patron amenities, including additional restrooms, which are always welcome on those short intermissions,” he says, “concession space drop off lane, a marquee lounge will be a hallmark of this new area to serve our donors and others in there.” The budget is around 14 million dollars.

The Board of Regents approved the plans at their meeting today (Thursday).