COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) - — The Food Bank for the Heartland is working with an area school district to provide food for families struggling during the pandemic.
For the past 3 years, Wilson Middle School in Council Bluffs has helped families with food assistance through their partnership with the Food Bank for the Heartland.
"With the social distancing guidelines we've had to change from doing inside our building to having a mobile drive-up food pantry and it's been really successful," Wilson Middle School Assistant Principal Rachel Bruce said. "We've had a lot of patrons come through already today."
Bruce tells 3 News Now they've seen a spike in families needing food since the pandemic started.
"We were able to just really be the space and provide the volunteers for the last 3 years and it's just been really wonderful opportunity for our volunteers and then as well for the members of the community that are in need," she said.
Bruce says they've served about hundred more families than usual.
"I think it shows that there is a significant need and we're just happy to be able to help our community members and serve not just our Wilson families but, you know, anybody you know from Council Bluffs and the metro area that's in need," Bruce said.
Bruce tells us this month's mobile drive through will be the last one hosted at Wilson Middle School for the next 3 months due to summer break.
"We're just really grateful that we've been able to partner with the food bank to provide for our families and the community members just in general especially during this time of kind of uncertainty," she said. "[We're] hoping that we can continue to the partnership in the future."
Bruce also tells 3 News Now that Wilson Middle School is being renovated so they're currently looking for a new location to continue hosting the mobile food bank in the future.
