It’s 9:15 a.m. on a Friday, and the parking lot at Extended Hands Food Bank is quiet. Inside, the food bank is humming with energy as an assembly line of volunteers rush in and out of walk-in freezers, filling boxes with food and placing them in the trunks of parked vehicles lining the alley.

To a newcomer, it’s a holy mess of chaos at Extended Hands Food Bank. But to Director David Iverson, this is a well-oiled, thoughtfully arranged assembly line of food items prepared for those in need. With 19 years of business, Iverson and his team of volunteers have had some time to work out the kinks, but it does not mean they’re unsusceptible to economic distress.

This summer has been busy for Iverson, who cites high gas and housing prices as the reason for the steady flow of vehicles in his alley, along with two years of hardship for individuals who are slowly picking up the pieces.

“Seems like the last five months is where we’ve gotten new people coming every week,” Iverson said, a retired minister who prides himself on getting to know many of his visitors. Some who are especially distraught are welcomed into his office for a listening ear and a prayer.

Iverson has begun to hear buzzwords like “foreclosures” and “evictions” in his circles as individuals on fixed income watch their social security checks lose pace to climbing consumer prices. For this reason, he’s bracing for the influx of hungry individuals and families looking for sustenance.

At the food bank, a woman pops her trunk and gladly accepts a full box of food for herself and her family. She starts a new job soon, but a two-week gap sits between her and the next paycheck, leaving her with no income for what can feel like months.

“Thank you,” she says. “It helps a lot throughout the month.”

“Glad to help,” Iverson says. “That’s what we’re here for.”

For many, two weeks between jobs might mean a mini vacation. But for others, this hiatus might mean skipping dinner to keep the lights on or the air conditioner running.

Nearing two decades in business, the food bank has seen its fair share of hard times. Coming off the height of the pandemic, the food bank was itself facing closure for the umpteenth time.

Despite hardships, Iverson credits the community, the Town and local churches for rallying behind the food bank and helping them to keep the doors open and feed those in need.

“We got busy, there’s no doubt about it, and because of this pandemic, a lot of people are still hungry,” Iverson said. “It was strange, to say the least, but as far as helping people, we never missed a lick.”

As a new initiative, Iverson has begun collaborating with the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation in filling boxes with specific foods for people with diabetes. Across the nation, this health condition affects young and old, but especially those living on the reservation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Native Americans are twice as likely as whites to have diabetes. The National Indian Council on Aging released a report in 2019 which showed that the Pima Indians of Arizona have the highest rates of diabetes in the world, with more than half of the population diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

By working with Fort McDowell, Iverson is eager to help scale those numbers down by providing more nutritious food to those dealing with diabetes.

Extended Hands feeds roughly300 family units per month the majority of which reside in Fountain Hills. The remainder come from the neighboring towns and reservations by car, bike or skateboard. Iverson said he has a few homeless visitors who live out of their cars, and a handful of individuals who live in tents in the desert.

“The homeless population here is not large,” Iverson said. “Some people think it’s bigger than it is in Fountain Hills, but it’s not overwhelming.”

Overall, Iverson credits his volunteers, numbering 50 strong, as the lifeblood of his operation. From clubs, golf groups and individuals and couples looking for ways to contribute, Iverson is grateful for every one of them.

“When people ask, ‘You run the food bank?’ I say, ‘No, I pay the bills and raise the money to pay the bills. The volunteers run the food bank,” he said.

Iverson believes a food bank is necessary for any community because it keeps people honest. He said that without it, those with no food or money are more likely to turn to crime.

“A food bank is necessary for people to say, ‘You know what, I can go there to get help, I can go there to get food and I can feed my family.’”

Pointing to a picture hanging on the wall depicting outstretched hands filled with loaves and fish, Iverson says it’s where his business derived its name.

“We can all be extended hands,” he said. “I can’t feed everybody, but if we work together, we can make sure nobody goes hungry.”

Visit loc8nearme.com/arizona/fountain-hills/extended-hands-food-bank/2752723