Feeding America states, "Pounds of food are converted into meals per dollar by using the finding from USDA 'What We Eat in America' 2011-2012 stating that an average meal is 1.2 lbs. of food." UWSC has determined the approximate number of meals provided by pantries, commodity boxes, and Backpacks based on the weight of the food that is given to individuals and families each month. Shelters, meal sites, and childcare facilities provide data on monthly meals (no extra calculation necessary).

Understanding Summer 2020 and Summer 2021 Data: During these summers, the Summer Food Service Program (USDA) was expanded due to the coronavirus pandemic, with meals (breakfast and lunch) available to all children 0-18. This meant increases in numbers served.

This data is an aggregate of meals / meal equivalents served by United Way of Story County partner agencies and collaboration members (Food Pantry Collaboration and Hunger Collaboration), as well as at summer enrichment sites:

Partners:

• ACCESS - Emergency Shelter
• ACPC - Childcare meals (infants and children)
• Boys and Girls Club (Ames, Nevada)
• Good Neighbor Emergency Assistance - Emergency Food Vouchers
• Heartland Senior Services -Senior Commodity Food Program (monthly food boxes)
• HSS - Congregate meals
• HSS - Home-delivered meals/Meals on Wheels (both 60+ and under 60)
• HSS - Adult Day Center meals
• Story Time Childcare 
• The Bridge Home - Shelter
• YSS - Rosedale Shelter (other residential was excluded as of FY20-21 as UWSC does not provide any funding support to these programs)

Collaboration members:

• Food at First Nevada (meal site)
• Story County elementary schools - Backpack programs
• Story County emergency food pantries (not all data available) - included is partner data from MICA and The Salvation Army pantries, other community-based pantry data, and school-based pantry data where available. (Not included at this time is ISU's The SHOP food pantry.)

Summer Food programs:

• These include Ames CSD sites, Ames Public Library, Ballard, Collins-Maxwell, Nevada CSD and Community Resource Center. These summer meal sites are in addition to summer enrichment programs (which include meals) at partner agencies.