Izaah Knox of Urban Dreams, Michelle Book of Food Bank of Iowa and Sharon Krause of In Harmony Farm are working to enhance service to people of color with grants from Feeding America’s Food Security Equity Impact Fund. Photo submitted by Food Bank of Iowa.

Food Bank of Iowa and two of its partners, Urban Dreams and In Harmony Farm, have received Feeding America Grants to better serve people of color in Central Iowa who are experiencing food insecurity. The organizations received a combined $500,000 through Feeding America’s Food Security Equity Impact Fund. Urban Dreams was awarded $212,500 that will go toward establishing a food pantry at its new headquarters on Second Avenue in Des Moines. In Harmony Farm in Earlham received the same amount for equipment and staffing to help immigrant farmers build sustainable agriculture and business skills to create a more equitable food system. Food Bank of Iowa was awarded $75,000 to buy and deliver culturally responsive foods, including fresh protein, rice and other cooking staples. The Food Security Equity Impact Fund was established in 2020 to invest in communities of color that are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. According to Feeding America, food insecurity rates among individuals who identify as Black, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander and multiracial are two to three times higher than among white individuals.

Iowa Stops Hunger is a Business Publications Corp. initiative to bring awareness and action to food insecurity in Iowa. Read additional stories on Iowastopshunger.com.