YUMA, AZ - As summer approaches, the Yuma Community Food Bank needs help restocking their empty shelves, and providing a meal for those who are hungry.
Mike Ivers, the President and CEO at the food Bank tells News 13 "I had a woman who was in here Friday. She has breast cancer, both of her breasts had been removed, her mother died and her sister lost her job."
According to Ivers, that's just one of the many stories they encounter everyday and each month they see 22,000 people seeking assistance.
He says "The unemployment rate is now up to 26%. People forget about the needs of others in the summer. This place will be full in the fall for Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. Meanwhile in the winter months our demand is increasing every day."
Plus, with the school year ending, the demand to provide meals to children also increases. Ivers says, "The latest statistic out right now 42.9% of children who live in the Yuma County don't know where their next meal is coming from."
Despite the $50,000 Grant received from Wal-Mart the one stipulation is it cannot be used for food. The purpose of the grant is to help support the food banks capacity with things like refrigerated trailers and things that will help it grow and improve. The food bank says, come fall, they will be better able to distribute produce.
In the mean time, now is when the community can help by donating. Ivers says for $1 they get 9 meals. So, if somebody donates $100 that's 900 meals and that's a really good bang for the buck"
To make a donation you can visit http://www.yumafoodbank.org or call 928.343.1243 or drop by at 2404 E. 24th Street, Suite A.
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