Feeding Older Iowans Amid COVID19 and Beyond
OVERVIEW
Organizers | Iowa Department on Aging + Iowa Food Bank Association
Subjects Covered | Emergency Food, Innovation, Partnerships, Food Access
Target Audience | Community members, private/non-profit sectors, students, government agencies, etc.
SUMMARY
The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the difficulties older adults face in regards to food insecurity, social isolation, and access. The Iowa Department on Aging and the Iowa Food Bank Association discuss the innovative partnerships and collaborations that arose to meet the needs of older Iowans during the pandemic and beyond.
ACTION ITEMS
- Participants will recognize two hunger-fighting organizations that help older adults.
- Participants will learn innovative practices through public/private partnerships.
- Participants will understand the importance of emergency planning and best practices.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS
Iowa Department on Aging I @IowaAging
The Iowa Department on Aging will provide resources, tools, and support to enable Iowa Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to effectively deliver core services—Information & Service Assistance, Nutrition & Health Promotions, and Services to Promote Independence—to our consumers.
Iowa Food Bank Association I @IowaFBA
The mission of the Iowa Food Bank Association is to support the Feeding America food banks and their affiliates serving Iowa in their work to ensure that sufficient food is accessible to all.
RESOURCES
The COVID-19 pandemic amplified the difficulties older adults face in regards to food insecurity, social isolation, and access. The Iowa Department on Aging and the Iowa Food Bank Association discussed the innovative partnerships and collaborations that arose to meet the needs of older Iowans during the pandemic and beyond. Review the speakers' slides here.
SPEAKERS
Alexandra Bauman
Nutrition, Health & Wellness Director,
Iowa Department on Aging
Alexandra Bauman, RD, LDN is the Nutrition, Health & Wellness Director at the Iowa Department on Aging. She is a Registered Dietitian with a background in geriatric nutrition, recipe development, innovation and marketing, and management.
Linda Gorkow
Executive Director,
Iowa Food Bank Association
Linda Gorkow is the executive director of the Iowa Food Bank Association. The Iowa Food Bank Association (IFBA) is a collaboration of the five Feeding America member food banks and a PDO food bank that serve each of Iowa’s 99 counties. Together, the food banks collaborate and provide food to more than 1,100 non-profit organizations serving children, adults, veterans, and seniors across the state. These partner agencies/organizations include food pantries, emergency meal sites, congregational meal sites, emergency shelters, and other sites that provide food to clients. As an association, IFBA is coordinating efforts through food banks and their affiliates serving Iowa to alleviate hunger to ensure that sufficient food is accessible to all. Linda previously served as the Iowa Hunger Coalition Director and is the former executive director of the HACAP Food Reservoir in Hiawatha, Iowa. Linda was a member of the Iowa Food Bank Association Board of Directors several years prior to serving as director of IFBA. Throughout her career Linda has held numerous marketing and community relations positions for a number of nom-profits such Mercy Medical Center and Tanager Place (a social service non-profit serving children and families) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and served as vice president of marketing at Marketing & Communication Strategies, Inc., as well as marketing director at an Iowa shopping center.
Linda is an Iowa native and graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. She is a Leadership for Five Seasons participant, former Junior League of Cedar Rapids, Professional Women’s Network and has served on numerous community groups, boards and initiatives including the Linn County Food Insecurity Council. Linda resides in Cedar Rapids with her husband and is proud to be the mother of two adult children, Alexandra and Alyssa.