DES MOINES, Iowa — Wednesday marks day 15 of the government shutdown, which also means an entire two weeks has gone by, and a pay period. 

Federal workers will really start feeling the effects of the shutdown, which includes missing a paycheck. 

The Food Bank of Iowa says they’re preparing for an increase during this time of need. 

“We’re already seeing people who have never before visited a food pantry, and now visiting a food pantry for assistance for the very first time,” Annette Hacker with the Food Bank of Iowa said. “When you start to see thousands – because there are thousands of federal workers here in Iowa – thousands of federal workers who were either furloughed or laid off, that will drive those folks to seek assistance through pantries stocked by the Food Bank of Iowa.”

Right now SNAP and WIC food programs are working and processing as normal. Last week the White House announced additional funding to keep WIC going.

“We’re navigating the unknown, so right now, SNAP and WIC are being administered as usual, but we don’t know for how long,” Hacker said. “We know if the shutdown is prolonged, it will only drive more and more people to food pantries served by the Food Bank of Iowa. And we’re already stretched pretty thin because we’ve been trying to meet rising and record need for the last three and a half years. So this will be even more people.”

The good news is most of the food at the Food Bank of Iowa is donated, not government funded, but there’s still a chance of impact. 

“Food Bank of Iowa is not federally funded. We do, however, receive food through USDA. So right now, about 10% of our inventory is from USDA. In better times or different times, it made up to half of our inventory in more typical times,” Hacker said. “We are expecting USDA loads to come through the end of the year, but we have one million pounds of food on order for the first quarter of 2026, and there’s no certainty whatsoever that we will get those loads.”

Food insecurity affects 1 in 8 Iowans, and maybe more during something like a government shutdown. 

“Food Bank of Iowa will be here no matter what to help keep the shelves stocked at 700 pantries across the state. And if you can help, now is the time that we do need that help,” she said.

To donate or find a food pantry near you, you can visit FoodBankIowa.org.