Diocese disburses $100K for food assistance

In response to the cuts in federal funding of the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), the Diocese of Sioux City is making an emergency allocation of $2,500 per parish – nearly $100,000 – to assist with food assistance throughout the 24 counties that make up the diocese’s territory.
 
In a memo to the parish pastors, Bishop John E. Keehner advised that each parish would have $2,500 deposited into their bank accounts on Nov. 5. The pastors were asked to determine the best way to distribute the funds in their communities.
 
“We leave the distribution of the funds to the discretion of the pastors as you will be the most familiar with your local programs and processes in serving the ‘food insecure’ in your area,” the bishop wrote in the memo. 
 
Pastors could forward the funds to community food pantries with expertise in food distribution, purchase gift cards or food vouchers or supplement any existing parish food distribution program.
 
The diocese estimates that over 36,000 families in the diocese receive SNAP benefits, affecting an estimated 41,000 people.
 
“Just as Christ tells us – ‘I was hungry and you gave me to eat, all of us are called to do what we can to feed the hungry, especially in light of the recent cuts to food assistance. I am grateful to the diocesan pastors and parishes in their help to distribute the funds in their communities and assist their neighbors,” Bishop Keehner said of the emergency allocation.
 
Several parishes in the diocese, including all four Sioux City parishes and the Central Catholic Offices are conducting their own food drives in light of the anticipated rise in food insecurity throughout northwest Iowa. 
 
Cutline: St. Joseph Parish in Jefferson has operated their own giving pantry since fall 2021 with food and household products. Parish staff indicated that they will use the extra funds from the diocese to fill the giving pantry box more often to assist those in need in their community. Parish youth are pictured with the giving pantry.