21 MAY 2020 - DES MOINES, IOWA: A volunteer at an emergency food distribution in Evelyn K. Davis Park in central Des Moines, hands a box of Girl Scout cookies to people in a car. All of the 485 meals were distributed in about an hour. The economic fallout of the pandemic is being felt throughout Iowa. On May 21, 2020, Iowa reported that 187,375 people had filed for unemployment since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic shutdown. Emergency food pantry has also increased in that time, as many Iowans in low wage jobs used emergency food banks and pantries for the first time. The Food Bank of Iowa said Thursday that demand in April 2020 was 31% higher than demand in April 2019, mostly because of unemployment caused by the Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. The emergency food distribution Thursday was organized by the city of Des Moines, Food Bank of Iowa, Central Iowa Shelter and Services, Urban Dreams and Orchestrate Hospitality.     PHOTO BY JACK KURTZ
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