Community Food Basket needs more donations fast

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - This fall marks the start of another community-wide food drive for the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket. According to Food Basket director Ariel Jackson, it's one of the food basket's most important events of the year.

"The donations that we collect through this October food drive, sustain us all through the winter, get us through the holiday months, the cold months when families are having to pay more in utility bills and gas and those kinds of items," Jackson said. "It gets us almost to the spring when we can start doing food drives again to replenish the warehouse."

The food basket is now feeding more families than ever. According to Jackson, they provide food to over 1,500 families each month.

Now, the charity is running low on essential food items like mac and cheese, pasta, canned tuna and other protein foods. She says what they do have will only feed Idaho families for about two weeks.

Throughout the month of October, you can find donation barrels outside Albertsons, Broulimns, Grocery Outlet, and Sam's Club. The charity has partnered with Melaleuca, INL and the local BSA to manage donations.

"It's really great to partner with these organizations," Jackson said. "They realize how big the need is and they're just trying to help us get it done and get it full."

For more information, or to get involved with the Idaho Falls Community Food Basket, click HERE.