Nevada County nonprofit calls for community support during Hunger Action Month
GRASS VALLEY — September is Hunger Action Month, and a Nevada County nonprofit that provides supplemental food to people in need is asking for community support.
Interfaith Food Ministry (IFM) says they're seeing record numbers. They serve more than 2 million pounds of food per year but are still struggling to keep up with demand.
"We're doing, now, 160% of the clientele of what we were doing when I started," volunteer Carol Fegte said.
Carol has volunteered at Interfaith Food Ministry for five years and says the need for food just keeps growing.
"This place exists and it only exists because of volunteers and donations," she said.
The nonprofit feeds more than 1,500 families each month, but right now, they're facing challenges.
"We are struggling with a decrease in donations and an increase in need," marketing manager Victoria Lindsay said. "We're setting record numbers of families coming through to receive assistance from us."
"We've been here for two years now," said mom tredi bowler who came to get food with her kids.
IFM estimates roughly 15% of Nevada County residents are food insecure, and they're looking for support to ramp up their efforts to provide nutritious meals during the holidays.
"It speaks for itself in reality. People need food. People need help right now," Bowler said.
"Everyone should be able to join around the table and have a meal with their family during the holidays," Lindsay said. "We provide a turkey, a ham, sides, but as everybody knows, food costs are increasing. So our costs are increasing to provide the holiday meal."
You can take action by donating, volunteering or handing over your old grocery bags so they can use them to distribute food.
"Our fundraising is not meeting the demand," Lindsay said. "We're doing our best to provide wholesome, supplemental, nutritious groceries to Nevada County residents in need, but we definitely need some help."
IFM has a low waste goal and anything that isn't edible is fed to pigs and other animals on local farms.
