JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa — As grocery, housing and gas prices continue to climb, food pantries across eastern Iowa say they are seeing a surge in families seeking help to make ends meet.
Organizations in the region report about twice as many people coming in for assistance as rising costs for basics like food and gas strain household budgets. At the North Liberty Community Pantry, staff say the increase is showing up daily, with more people seeking help than in previous months.
“We’re seeing more neighbors than ever before that need assistance providing for their households, that bills are outpacing wages. And it’s hard for a lot of families to keep up,” said Ryan Bobst, the pantry’s executive director…