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FORT MADISON, IOWA -- Today's unemployment rate has caused more people to turn to financial aid programs and food pantries.

That was the case for nearly 394,000 Iowa residents last month.

We took a look at the problem and how local community centers are trying to keep up with the demand.

"In Southeast Iowa, the unemployment is really bad. There's not a lot of job openings out there, and of course there's a lot of people vying for those jobs. So if they don't move away, they have a hard time finding the employment," said Dolly Stancil, with the Eichacker Community Services Center in Fort Madison.

They have an even harder time feeding their families.

"I've got some clients who are doing two and three part-time jobs to survive," said Stancil.

Stancil says she's seen a dramatic increase in people asking for food assistance in the last year.

"I just had a new person come in this morning, never been here before. He hates to do it, but you know, you have to have food. It's hard to get by. He's applied for food tamps, the card, but you have time before that comes in, so in the meantime, you have to reach out when you can to get the help," said Stancil.

When the money runs out, families come to the center's food pantry.

"It's a small food pantry, but we're one of three pantries in town. The other two are much larger. So we just help fill in between here and there," said Stancil.

You can help keep food assistance programs like this stay alive by donating to the Friends of Community Action Program. That will help stock the food pantries. The community center is also looking for a bigger location to relocate to.

Lee Co. - Eichacker Center -- Community Action of Southeast Iowa
3433 Avenue O
Fort Madison, IA 52627
PH: 319-372-4471
HOURS: 8:00 - 4:30

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