Ottumwa, IA- Food insecurity in Southeast Iowa continues to reach historic highs. TV Station KTVO reports that the Food Bank of Iowa's distribution center in Ottumwa, which serves 13 counties in southeastern Iowa, has been working to meet rising demand over the summer. Food Bank of Iowa Vice President of Philanthropy, Bergetta Beardsley said that the food bank saw a dramatic increase in households facing food insecurity during the summer. In June, the food bank distributed 327,333 pounds of food across 13 counties to over 9,500 households. The food bank is expecting demand to increase as children return to school, and free lunch programs implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic end.