Food Bank of Iowa has distributed food since 1982 from its Des Moines facility, and today it partners with 700 agencies across 55 counties to move 2.5 million pounds of food a month, the largest food bank by geographic reach in the state. Programs include Backpack Buddies, which sends weekend food home with food-insecure children. Tami Nielsen became President and CEO in 2025, an internal promotion after Michelle Book retired at the end of 2024 following nearly nine years leading the organization.
Food Bank of Iowa sources food at scale and distributes it across 55 of Iowa’s 99 counties through 700 partner agencies, plus its own programs. It is the food bank with the largest geographic reach in the state, covering much of central, southern, and western Iowa from its Des Moines warehouse. Its Backpack Buddies program sends weekend food home with children, and it runs distributions aimed at older Iowans, veterans, and immigrant communities.
Tami Nielsen became President and CEO in 2025. She joined Food Bank of Iowa in 2016 and rose through partnership, outreach, and operations roles to chief operating officer before being named CEO, first on an interim basis and then permanently. She succeeded Michelle Book, who led the organization for nearly nine years and increased food distribution dramatically before retiring at the end of 2024.
The 55-county service area covers a large share of Iowa, from the Des Moines metro out across central, southern, and western counties. Iowa is a major food-producing state, which makes its food insecurity especially stark: rural counties that grow the nation’s grain and livestock still have households that cannot afford enough to eat.
Yes. Food Bank of Iowa is a registered 501(c)(3) and a Feeding America member that has been recognized as a premier food bank within the network, with awards of excellence in recent years. Donors can review its financials through Charity Navigator and GuideStar. Bulk buying and donated food mean a gift produces many meals.
Donations and volunteer shifts run through foodbankiowa.org. Volunteers sort and pack food and help at distributions, and cash gifts go furthest because of the food bank’s purchasing power.
Food Bank of Iowa covers the largest geographic area in the state, centered on Des Moines, while the Northeast Iowa Food Bank covers the Waterloo region and northeast counties. For anyone in central, southern, or western Iowa, Food Bank of Iowa is the lead organization.
700 agencies across 55 counties receive food.
Weekend food sent home with food-insecure children.
Food assistance for seniors on fixed incomes.
Food brought into rural communities far from pantries.
Sources: Food Bank of Iowa website (foodbankiowa.org), and Business Record and Radio Iowa reporting on Michelle Book’s retirement and the appointment of Tami Nielsen. We are not affiliated with Food Bank of Iowa and receive no compensation for this listing. Spotted an error? [email protected]
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