BOISE, Idaho — For months we've been telling you about the economic decline that has affected hundreds and thousands of Idahoans leading to historically high unemployment and food insecurity all over our state.
The Idaho Foodbank tells Idaho News 6 that in 2018 food insecurity in Idaho was the lowest it's been since the Great Recession; however, with COVID-19 affecting unemployment rates, they're expecting a dramatic spike in numbers.
Map the Meal Gap projects, one in six adults and one in four children across will experience food insecurity over the next year. Karen Vauk, the President and CEO of the Foodbank, tells us that these projections are not exact, but they're pretty close and a really good guidepost.
Donations have gone down since the pandemic struck. Now, The Idaho Foodbank is turning to the community for help.
In a normal fiscal year, the Foodbank spends about $200,000 on food. In the last three months, they've already spent $900,000. Vauk says, should this continue, they "won't be able to buy our way through."
At Idaho News 6, we know that hunger doesn't take a summer break. So, this week we're hoping to help along with the Scripps Howard Foundation. We will match every donation up to $12,000. For perspective, about $1 can provide five meals. Let's work together to help solve hunger in Idaho.
