| Food
insecurity in Idaho
The 7th graders at Prairie Junior-Senior High will be organizing a food drive next week to help local families in need. To kick off the event, Craig Whitman, a representative from the Lewiston branch of The Idaho Foodbank came and talked to the class about food insecurity and hunger in Central Idaho. Mr. Whitman told the students that the definition of Food Insecurity is when a family is not sure where their next meal will come from, or whether they will have enough food in the days and weeks to come. A quarter of a million people in Idaho are considered food insecure. 23% of kids under the age of 18 are food insecure in Idaho. Based on the 2010 census, 19.5%, or over 3,000 people in Idaho County are considered food insecure. Mr. Whitman told the students that The Idaho Foodbank , which is a part of “Feeding America,” gave out 13 million pounds of food last year. The Lewiston branch gives out 120,000 pounds of food every month. The Idaho Foodbank brings their Mobile Food Pantry trailer around to different local communities once a month. The nearest location is Craigmont which is visited every 4th Monday of the month. They serve 70-80 families every month when they visit Craigmont. There are no income qualifications. Anyone in need can come to the site to receive a box of food that averages about 50 pounds. See the article below regarding the specifics of the food drive which is taking place May 14-18. 7th graders to hold food drive The 7th graders at Prairie Junior-Senior High School are organizing a food drive to benefit the local food bank which is operated by St. Mary’s Hospital. All PHS students are encouraged to bring canned and dry goods to the school next week. There will also be drop boxes located at the two grocery stores in town so that the community can participate. Thank you to Riener’s Grocery and Cottonwood Foods for agreeing to be drop sites. The dates of the food drive will be Monday, May 14 through Friday, May 18th. Please donate unopened items only. Keep food within two years of their sell-by date. Donations should be nutritious foods. Some of the most-needed items include: canned vegetables, fruit and tomatoes, canned or bottled 100% juice, whole-grain crackers, oatmeal, cereal, pasta, flour, rice, peanut butter, dried or canned beans and meat, tuna, oil or shortening, canned soups and stews, condiments, sugar, and dry or canned milk. Anyone in need of the food bank’s services can contact St. Mary’s Hospital. Contact Loretta Poxleitner or Krystal Ellis with questions about the food drive. Every single item helps! |
 |