(Radio Iowa) – This year’s pandemic has made a bad situation worse for tens of thousands of Iowans who aren’t sure where their next meal may be coming from. The Food Bank of Iowa has launched its Hunger-Free Holidays fundraising campaign. Spokeswoman Emma Runde says the goal is to raise $1-million in order to purchase four-million meals.

“We set a lofty goal with the hopes we can reach it because there’s a lot of people in need right now,” Runde says. “Food insecurity, since January of 2020, has doubled and unfortunately, for households with children, food insecurity rates have tripled.” Runde says $600,000 has been raised so far, but there’s a ways to go yet before the goal is reached. “People can go to our website, HungerFreeHolidays.org, or the Food Bank of Iowa website and they can donate,” Runde says. “It really doesn’t take a lot to make a big impact. With one dollar, we can provide up to four meals.”

The Food Bank of Iowa serves 55 Iowa counties with mobile food pantries and aiding food banks in communities.