Food pantries and feeding sites across Iowa received COVID Relief Partner Agency Grants last week totaling nearly $2 million. Intended to mitigate additional costs related to COVID response, these grants were made possible with CARES Act funding. Chuck Galaezzi with Helping Hands Knoxville says the organization received around $24,000, which is by far the largest donation or grant they’ve ever received.

Food insecurity in Iowa increased 50% during the first three months of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Currently, Feeding America reports that 407,020 Iowans are food insecure compared to 305,100 in 2019. Learn more about this grant on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.