DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – This Veterans Day, a growing number of Iowa veterans will go to bed hungry tonight.

Book by Michelle, CEO of the Iowa Food Banksaid: “The veterans protected us. Who protects our veterans from food insecurity?

10% of Iowans don’t have enough to eat and don’t know where their next meal will come from. According to Book, that number is slightly higher for our veterans, at 11 percent.

She says the problem has gotten worse since COVID-era relief programs ended.

“It has led to an increase in food insecurity and it has certainly had a greater impact on our veteran population than the rest of our population,” she said.

Most veterans are not older or retired, they are of working age, have left the military, and may not yet have the support system or financial means to meet their needs.

“When they leave the armed forces, many of them don’t have good support systems – families, friends, opportunities to better themselves through education,” she said.

The book states that veterans often do not use available government assistance benefits. “SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is an excellent program to reduce hunger. Unfortunately, veterans use the SNAP program at a rate 50 percent lower than our non-veteran population,” she said.

Book Says Iowa Food Bank Started monthly mobile food pantries in Des Moines and Ottumwa. The veterinarians distribute the food to their veterinary colleagues.

“Veterans are proud and don’t ask for help. It’s really important that we provide services to veterinarians in a place where they feel comfortable,” she said.

At the state level, Book says lawmakers should make SNAP easier for everyone to access.

“It would certainly benefit our veteran population as well.” And again, 76 percent of our veterans are of working age and they have children who are also food insecure,” she said.

Book also says the state should participate in the comprehensive summer EBT program. This gives families a $40 card per month per child to spend on groceries. The book says it can help veterans who have children.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed a modified version of the Summer EBT program for next summer, in which the state will provide food boxes instead of the preloaded card.

For veterans who need help, every county in the state of Iowa has a Office of Veterans Services who can help you apply for benefits. Some counties also have assistance funding for things like temporary housing, food and transportation.

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Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Send him an email to [email protected]; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV or on X/Twitter @ConnerReports.

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