WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) – The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is renovating its building to store more food and serve more people.
Barbara Prather has been Executive Director of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank for almost three decades. In the last three years, she has seen inflation affect Eastern Iowans, with 15,000 more people receiving food from the food bank.
“People need more help. Inflation has really affected people,” Prather said.
“While we’re providing about the same amount of food, it’s being stretched further and further and further,” Prather said.
Prather said the food bank provided more than 8.5 million meals to hungry families over the last year. She said the food bank wants to provide more.
“There’s times we’re turning away food and we don’t want to turn away food,” Prather said.
The food bank is expanding to make space for more food, especially fresh fruits, vegetables and meats.
“With more and more of our product becoming perishable, we need to make sure that we have the space to accept that and then distribute it out,” Prather said.
Prather said the food bank is renovating its current space to add larger cooler and freezer spaces. The food bank has also just finished its new food pantry, where people can pick up food twice a month.
“I think in the first week, and this is four and a half days of service, we provided food to over 1,500 families, which is big. I think one day was over 400,” Prather said.
Once the rest of construction is complete, the food bank will be able to provide more food to its more than 120 partners and other food pantries.
“Because the need isn’t going away,” Prather said.
Construction is expected to wrap up at the food bank in November.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Dining and Cooking