Drastic decline in donations limiting local food bank’s ability to help needy families

IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Community Food basket is facing a sharp decline in donations compared to this time last year.

Ariel Jackson, the food bank’s executive director, says they’ve received 200,000 pounds less food in 2025, despite serving the same amount of people, if not more.

“It’s a universal problem,” said Jackson. “(Other nonprofits) are calling us for help because they don’t have something and we don’t have it either, which is not typical for us. We don’t have enough to share and we have always tried to share with all the other nonprofits in town.”

The Food Basket’s primary goal is to help people through financial crisis. In the past, they would try and give families enough food to get them through a week, but in response to the shortages, they’ve had to decrease what they can give.

“We tried to feed a family for seven days and with the decrease from the grocery stores and the decrease from the community, we’re probably down to four or five days,” she says. “If the trend continues and donations continue to go down, we’ll have to keep making those choices.”

The food bank can typically source most of its donations from local grocery stores, with smaller donations coming from private donations or the Idaho Food Bank.

Jackson says there isn’t any single cause for the shortage this year.

The Idaho Falls Community Food Basket serves people across seven counties, with some coming from as far as Clark County to receive aid — aid they might have to pull back on if donations continue to decrease.

“We put a plea out the other day asking gardeners if they have extra produce. We would love to have it. We’re one of the only pantries that has the ability to give out fresh and frozen food and that’s really what we’re lacking right now,” said Jackson.

Outside of donations for food, the organization is always appreciative of financial donations.

“We can turn one dollar into $4.80 worth of food just because we are a nonprofit. We have awesome buying power,” said Jackson.

Donations can be made through the food basket’s website here.

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