Community Food Basket seeks to collect 120,000 pounds of food

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - The Community Food Basket has seen a continued rise in the need for emergency food provisions since March.

An average month pre-pandemic brought more than 1,000 families through their doors. Since March, the number of families and individuals needing assistance has grown by more than 100%.

The month of October will have the Food Basket assisting more than 2,500. 

Because the pandemic has forced many food donations and food drives to cancel events and collections, Community Food Basket teamed up with the JustServe volunteer community, Idaho National Labs (Team INL), Melaleuca, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and local realtors, schools, and convenience stores to host a region-wide, month-long food drive with the ambitious goal of collecting 120,000 pounds of food.

The loss of the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive and the uncertainty of what the smaller Scouting for Food Drive could collect meant Community Food Basket would be down more than 100,000 pounds of food moving into the winter and holiday season. 

The Community Food Basket currently sits at 80,000 pounds collected through various efforts and Friday/Saturday collections at local grocery stores but needs help to meet its goal!

Please stop by any of the drop locations on Friday or Saturday, October 23-24, and Friday or Saturday, October 30-31 to drop off needed food items to help meet the need this season.

Drop Off Locations:

• All 3 Albertsons Stores 
• Fred Meyer 
• Sam’s Club 
• KJ’s C-Stores 
• Hallpark Plaza Good 2 Go C-Stores