Des Moines food pantries face spiking demand as the Iowa region's SNAP enrollment declines
As part of its drive to cut federal spending, the Trump administration has paused over US$500 million of funds that had previously flowed annually to food banks across the U.S. It's not the only policy change that could make it harder than it already is for many Americans to get enough to eat.
I'm a professor of statistics who finds hidden patterns in data related to food insecurity in Iowa. I also serve on the board of directors of Iowa's largest network of food pantries.
Food pantries in Iowa have seen demand for their assistance soar in recent years. At the same time, fewer Iowans have been enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, through which low-income Americans get money from the government to buy groceries.
It may seem illogical that anyone in Iowa would need help obtaining food.
Known as the 'breadbasket of the world,' my state plays a crucial role in food production as a top supplier of grain, meats and eggs to both domestic and international markets.
For example, in 2023, Iowa led the nation in corn production, harvesting over 2.5 billion bushels. It's also the top producer of eggs, supplying more than 13 billion eggs per year.
Despite this agricultural abundance, food insecurity – not being able to maintain an adequate diet – is a pressing issue. In 2022, an estimated 1 in 9 Iowans were hungry. This rate was even higher among children: 1 in 6.
Many food-insecure families turn to food pantries to fill their refrigerators and cupboards.
The Des Moines Area Religious Council operates 14 food pantries in the Polk County area. This network of food pantries has been seeing record-breaking demand. It provided food to more than 70,000 people in 2024, up from 59,000 a year earlier.
About 35% of the people it supports are children. This rate has been increasing since government phased out COVID-19 pandemic-era programs, such as the Child Tax Credit expansion and summer EBT, a federal nutrition program that helped low-income families feed their kids when schools were closed.
Some 19% of food pantry clients in the Des Moines region are unemployed adults, only 8% are people who are 65 and up, and 38% are adults who are either working or have disabilities.
Early in the pandemic, Congress temporarily expanded SNAP by providing everyone enrolled in the program with the maximum amount of benefits for which they were eligible based on the number of people in their family, regardless of their income. Normally, only 37% of the people who get SNAP benefits get the maximum amount. For 2025, for example, a family of three can get up to $768 a month through the program.
In March 2022, Iowa became one of the first states to end this policy, creating a natural experiment of sorts at a time when food prices were rising quickly.
As you might expect, the number of clients visiting food pantries surged once that policy changed. This trend continued throughout 2024, with many months of record-breaking demand at the state's food pantries.
While most food pantry visitors in Polk County qualify for at least some SNAP benefits, only around 1 in 3 are enrolled in the program today, down from 44% in 2020.
This decline in SNAP enrollment is placing more pressure on the food pantries trying to make up the difference.
Low SNAP enrollment rates can be partly explained by low benefit amounts, which is all that some eligible individuals and families qualify for.
Recent laws have made it more difficult for families to be eligible to receive benefits. In 2023, Iowa introduced a state-specific asset test, which limits the total assets of all members of a family to $15,000 in order to maintain eligibility. This test includes the value of boats, vacation homes and savings accounts. It also includes a second vehicle used for household transportation purposes, but not a family's primary residence.
Another consideration is time management, especially in light of the additional administrative hurdles.
'The time it is taking these working households to get and maintain their SNAP benefits is significantly more time and effort than simply visiting a local food pantry,' said Matt Unger, Des Moines Area Religious Council's CEO. 'Here in Iowa, we are facing nearly a 17-year low in SNAP enrollment while food banks and food pantries across the state are breaking records every month. Something just doesn't add up.'
Congress is currently deciding whether to cut SNAP spending. If lawmakers do that, benefits will decline, increasing the strain on food pantries in Iowa and everywhere else across the country.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Lendie R. Follett, Drake University
Read more:
Big cuts at the Education Department's civil rights office will affect vulnerable students for years to come
GOP lawmakers eye SNAP cuts, which would scale back benefits that help low-income people buy food at a time of high food prices
US food insecurity rate rose to 13.5% in 2023 as government benefits declined and food prices soared
Lendie R. Follett is affiliated with the Des Moines Area Religious Council. She currently serves on the board of directors.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
33 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump might be the most accessible president ever — for spies or scammers
President Trump reportedly picks up when his cell rings even if he doesn't know who's calling. Senior members of his team also love chatting on their personal devices. That makes the administration uniquely vulnerable to basic scams like spoofed calls and impersonation attempts. Why it matters: If Trump is willing to answer unknown numbers, as The Atlantic reported this week, there's no guarantee a scammer, impersonator, or even a foreign intelligence operative couldn't have a chat with the president. There's no evidence that has actually happened. But recent reports involving Trump and other top officials have raised red flags about the security of their communications. Driving the news: Federal authorities are investigating a scheme where someone spoofed the phone number of White House chief of staff Susie Wiles to impersonate her in calls to senators, governors, and CEOs, per the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, Chinese hackers reportedly penetrated U.S. telecom networks as early as summer 2023, according to Bloomberg — a year earlier than previously known. That access has been used by China-backed group Salt Typhoon to spy on Trump, Vice President Vance, and other officials, the NYT reported. Then there are the series of Signal-related scandals involving former national security adviser Mike Waltz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and others. Between the lines: Eavesdropping on world leaders isn't new — but it's a lot easier if the leader in question is using a personal phone and eschewing standard cybersecurity practices. Flashback: In 2017, Trump had two phones — one issued through the White House and only capable of making phone calls, and a less secure phone equipped just for social media. At the time, he was urged to swap out his Twitter phone at least once a month. Politico reported he'd instead go months without security checks. It's unclear how many of those security protocols were brought back in this time around. "I think people gave up on that years ago," one adviser told The Atlantic. In a written statement, White House communications director Steven Cheung said the administration would "not discuss or disclose security measures regarding the President." "President Trump is the most transparent and accessible President in American history," Cheung said. "World leaders, heads of state, elected officials, and business titans all reach out to him because they know America is back under President Trump's leadership. "Whereas, Joe Biden was hidden and sheltered by his handlers because he was a total embarrassment and bumbling idiot during his time in office," Cheung added. The big picture: Since returning to office, the Trump administration has: Ignored basic security norms, including heavy reliance on Signal and personal numbers. Gutted existing federal cybersecurity leadership, with one-third of CISA's staff already gone. Empowered security-weakening tech initiatives through Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has been pursuing projects like using a buggy AI tool to crawl sensitive government data. Threat level: AI tools can clone a voice using just a few seconds of audio, and the FBI warned last month that scammers are already using them to impersonate senior officials.
San Francisco Chronicle
34 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Chinese hackers and user lapses turn smartphones into a 'mobile security crisis'
WASHINGTON (AP) — Cybersecurity investigators noticed a highly unusual software crash — it was affecting a small number of smartphones belonging to people who worked in government, politics, tech and journalism. The crashes, which began late last year and carried into 2025, were the tipoff to a sophisticated cyberattack that may have allowed hackers to infiltrate a phone without a single click from the user. The attackers left no clues about their identities, but investigators at the cybersecurity firm iVerify noticed that the victims all had something in common: They worked in fields of interest to China's government and had been targeted by Chinese hackers in the past. Foreign hackers have increasingly identified smartphones, other mobile devices and the apps they use as a weak link in U.S. cyberdefenses. Groups linked to China's military and intelligence service have targeted the smartphones of prominent Americans and burrowed deep into telecommunication networks, according to national security and tech experts. It shows how vulnerable mobile devices and apps are and the risk that security failures could expose sensitive information or leave American interests open to cyberattack, those experts say. 'The world is in a mobile security crisis right now,' said Rocky Cole, a former cybersecurity expert at the National Security Agency and Google and now chief operations officer at iVerify. 'No one is watching the phones.' U.S. authorities warned in December of a sprawling Chinese hacking campaign designed to gain access to the texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. 'They were able to listen in on phone calls in real time and able to read text messages,' said Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois. He is a member of the House Intelligence Committee and the senior Democrat on the Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, created to study the geopolitical threat from China. Chinese hackers also sought access to phones used by Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance during the 2024 campaign. The Chinese government has denied allegations of cyberespionage, and accused the U.S. of mounting its own cyberoperations. It says America cites national security as an excuse to issue sanctions against Chinese organizations and keep Chinese technology companies from the global market. 'The U.S. has long been using all kinds of despicable methods to steal other countries' secrets,' Lin Jian, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, said at a recent press conference in response to questions about a CIA push to recruit Chinese informants. U.S. intelligence officials have said China poses a significant, persistent threat to U.S. economic and political interests, and it has harnessed the tools of digital conflict: online propaganda and disinformation, artificial intelligence and cyber surveillance and espionage designed to deliver a significant advantage in any military conflict. Mobile networks are a top concern. The U.S. and many of its closest allies have banned Chinese telecom companies from their networks. Other countries, including Germany, are phasing out Chinese involvement because of security concerns. But Chinese tech firms remain a big part of the systems in many nations, giving state-controlled companies a global footprint they could exploit for cyberattacks, experts say. Chinese telecom firms still maintain some routing and cloud storage systems in the U.S. — a growing concern to lawmakers. 'The American people deserve to know if Beijing is quietly using state-owned firms to infiltrate our critical infrastructure,' U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich. and chairman of the China committee, which in April issued subpoenas to Chinese telecom companies seeking information about their U.S. operations. Mobile devices have become an intel treasure trove Mobile devices can buy stocks, launch drones and run power plants. Their proliferation has often outpaced their security. The phones of top government officials are especially valuable, containing sensitive government information, passwords and an insider's glimpse into policy discussions and decision-making. The White House said last week that someone impersonating Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff, reached out to governors, senators and business leaders with texts and phone calls. It's unclear how the person obtained Wiles' connections, but they apparently gained access to the contacts in her personal cellphone, The Wall Street Journal reported. The messages and calls were not coming from Wiles' number, the newspaper reported. While most smartphones and tablets come with robust security, apps and connected devices often lack these protections or the regular software updates needed to stay ahead of new threats. That makes every fitness tracker, baby monitor or smart appliance another potential foothold for hackers looking to penetrate networks, retrieve information or infect systems with malware. Federal officials launched a program this year creating a 'cyber trust mark' for connected devices that meet federal security standards. But consumers and officials shouldn't lower their guard, said Snehal Antani, former chief technology officer for the Pentagon's Joint Special Operations Command. 'They're finding backdoors in Barbie dolls,' said Antani, now CEO of a cybersecurity firm, referring to concerns from researchers who successfully hacked the microphone of a digitally connected version of the toy. Risks emerge when smartphone users don't take precautions It doesn't matter how secure a mobile device is if the user doesn't follow basic security precautions, especially if their device contains classified or sensitive information, experts say. Mike Waltz, who departed as Trump's national security adviser, inadvertently added The Atlantic's editor-in-chief to a Signal chat used to discuss military plans with other top officials. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had an internet connection that bypassed the Pentagon's security protocols set up in his office so he could use the Signal messaging app on a personal computer, the AP has reported. Hegseth has rejected assertions that he shared classified information on Signal, a popular encrypted messaging app not approved for the use of communicating classified information. China and other nations will try to take advantage of such lapses, and national security officials must take steps to prevent them from recurring, said Michael Williams, a national security expert at Syracuse University. 'They all have access to a variety of secure communications platforms,' Williams said. "We just can't share things willy-nilly.'
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Trump Confirms Imminent Fed Decision—Bitcoin And Crypto Brace For Huge Price Earthquake
Bitcoin has struggled to break out in recent months despite hitting a fresh all-time high in May and fears building over a $37 trillion 'ticking time bomb.' Front-run Donald Trump, the White House and Wall Street by subscribing now to Forbes' CryptoAsset & Blockchain Advisor where you can "uncover blockchain blockbusters poised for 1,000% plus gains!" The bitcoin price rocketed higher following U.S. president Donald Trump's November election victory but has struggled to hold onto that momentum as Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell grapples with a looming, 'cataclysmic' crisis that's headed for the U.S. dollar. Now, as Tesla billionaire Elon Musk quietly backs a shock dollar collapse warning, Trump has confirmed a decision on the next Federal Reserve chair will be coming out soon, priming the bitcoin price and crypto market. Sign up now for the free CryptoCodex—A daily five-minute newsletter for traders, investors and the crypto-curious that will get you up to date and keep you ahead of the bitcoin and crypto market bull run "It's coming out very soon," Trump told reporters on Air Force One, it was reported by Reuters, referring to his pick for the next Fed chair. 'If we had a good Fed chairman, he would lower rates and if inflation happened in a year from now or two years later, [he would] raise rates,' Trump said in a video posted to X, reiterating his earlier calls for Fed chair Powell to cut interest rates immediately. The Federal Reserve is now overwhelmingly expected to keep rates on hold during its June and July meetings, with the market split over its September decision, according to the CME FedWatch tool. Trump added that former Fed governor Kevin Warsh, who's currently the front-runner to be named as next Fed chair on the crypto-powered prediction platform Polymarket, is 'very highly thought of,' when asked what he thought of him. Last month, Warsh outlined how he believed the Fed could lower interest rates if he shrunk its balance sheet, telling a monetary policy panel at Stanford University's Hoover Institution that "if the printing press could be quiet, we could have lower policy rates." If the Fed were to cut rates, it 'would be bullish for risk assets like bitcoin,' bitcoin price and crypto market analysts with the Bitfinex exchange said in emailed comments. 'We believe if bitcoin maintains support above $105,000, it could target the $120,000 to $125,000 range in June. This will not be catalysed just from the labour market but it could be a domino in multiple catalysts prompting the Fed to cut rates at a faster than expected pace.' This week, Trump again called for Powell to lower rates, which have been held steady for months after the Fed surprised markets by beginning its rate cutting cycle in September. The Fed has pointed to the looming impact of Trump's global trade tariffs as the reason it has left rates on hold, predicting Trump's so-called Liberation Day barrage of tariffs will cause inflation to spike. Sign up now for CryptoCodex—A free, daily newsletter for the crypto-curious This coming week, the latest U.S. consumer price index (CPI) inflation data is expected to show an uptick in prices after inflation eased in the first few months of 2025. In April, the White House confirmed Trump was exploring whether he could fire Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell over Powell's refusal to lower rates, though Trump has since said he won't try to remove Powell before his term as chair ends next year. "With rate cuts looking less likely, Fed chair Jay Powell can expect to remain firmly in the president's firing line," Nicholas Hyett, investment manager at Wealth Club, said in emailed comments and pointing to Friday's stronger than expected jobs data. 'That will be taken as vindication by the Trump administration–which has been clear that the tariffs are aimed squarely at supporting Main Street rather than pleasing Wall Street. Less positive from the White Houses' point of view is that a strong economy and rising wages gives the Federal Reserve less reason to cut interest rates–pushing yields a touch higher and making the fiscal splurge built into Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' that bit more expensive.'
