Linn Community Food Bank introduces holiday program

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Linn Community Food Bank has a new outlet for those who are looking to give back this year.

Through the Gift of Food for the Holiday program, community members can donate to the food bank in honor of someone special in their lives. That person will receive a holiday card describing the contribution.

The food bank also will send the donor a letter thanking them for their donation and explaining how to make it tax deductible.

Families are particularly susceptible to hunger this time of year, according to Cheryl Moe, a volunteer at the food bank who has served on its board for five years. In 2014, the food bank served 6,195 families and provided food to more than 13,000 individuals.

This year, the food bank has seen 1,900 first-time clients, Moe said.

'During the holidays, a lot of children are home and not receiving school lunches and breakfasts, so that would increase the number,” Moe said. 'I think there's a lot of unexpected bills that come up for people around this time. Medical bills, heating costs. When I have been doing intake, a lot of my clients have told me that they have lost their job or they're in types of jobs that the work has really slowed down.”

On average, the food bank serves 25 to 30 people a day, Moe said. The food bank is open from 1 to 3:15 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Three days before Thanksgiving, the food bank also gave out one ham per family.

The first day the food bank offered hams before Thanksgiving, 67 people were served. More than 20 were turned away, Moe said.

The food bank, which opened in 1972, operates out of the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Cedar Rapids. It is run by a 15-member board and operates with the help of more than 100 volunteers, Moe said.

The food bank is a member of the HACAP Food Reservoir.