As summer break brings increased demand at food pantries across the state, the Deb & Jeff Hansen Foundation once again hit the road to help ensure Iowa families have access to nutritious, high-quality protein through its annual Haul Out Hunger program.
Over the course of five weeks, Foundation staff delivered more than 34,000 pounds of ground pork to 108 food pantries and community organizations in 72 communities across 36 Iowa counties. Those donations will provide more than 136,000 servings of protein to families throughout Iowa during one of the busiest times of the year for local pantries.
In addition to ground pork, the Foundation distributed more than 8,500 ground pork recipe books to help families prepare nutritious meals at home. The team also delivered Henry’s Heroes tote bags filled with diapers and wet wipes, providing additional support to families with young children.
“These organizations act as the front lines when facing food insecurity in many rural communities,” Laura Noehren, Foundation program manager, said. “We’re grateful for the food pantries, volunteers and community organizations that work tirelessly to ensure Iowa families have access to nutritious meals.”
Throughout the summer, Foundation staff visited communities across Iowa and heard firsthand how access to protein can make a meaningful difference for families.
“The main goal of our food pantry is to keep children full so that they can focus on learning,” Heather Johnson, student services coordinator at Humboldt Community Schools and manager of the F.U.E.L. Food Pantry, said. “Protein is shown to do just that. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of resources for protein and it’s expensive. This is a huge help to fill that need.”
Programs like Haul Out Hunger are made possible through the generosity of Iowa Select Farms, dedicated community partners and the volunteers who keep local food pantries operating every day. Together, they help ensure families have access to nutritious food when they need it most.
As another Haul Out Hunger season comes to a close, the Deb & Jeff Hansen Foundation extends its sincere thanks to every pantry, volunteer and partner that welcomed the team throughout the summer. Together, we’re helping strengthen Iowa communities—one delivery, one meal and one family at a time.
