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Story County Residents Feed the Hungry
LIVE UNITED Food Drive Raises 13,032 Pounds of Food
AMES, Iowa (June 2, 2011) – Residents of Story County donated more than 13,000 pounds of food to United Way of Story County’s 3rd annual LIVE UNITED Food Drive. From May 16 through May 26, community groups and businesses came together to support those in their area in need. Each pound of donated food up to 10,000 pounds was matched with one dollar from Monsanto, for a total of $10,000 more to help feed the hungry.
“We are so excited with the turn out,” said Shannon Bardole, United Way of Story County administrative assistant and food drive coordinator. “This is the largest collection we have ever had.”
The food drive kicked off on May 16, and more 86 community businesses served as drop points for food donations. This community support resulted in further opportunities to feed the hungry in Story County, where two-thirds of food pantry clients barely make more than the state minimum wage.
During the summer months, the more than 20 percent of students in Story County school districts who are on a free or reduced lunch program do not have access to school-provided meals, which puts pressure on food pantries across the county. The food collected at businesses during the LIVE UNITED Food Drive will help feed families who receive support from Bethesda Community Food Pantry, Calvary United Methodist Church, First Evangelical Free Church and MICA in Ames; and food pantries in Cambridge, Colo, Huxley, Maxwell, Nevada, Slater, Story City and Zearing.
Business and service club partners include in Ames: 3M, ACI Mechanical, Alliant Energy, Alpha Copies, Ames Breakfast Lions, Ames Community Bank, Ames Community Preschool Center, Ames Morning Rotary Club, Bankers Trust, Carpet One, Center for Child Care Resources, ChildServe, DOT, First American Bank, First Federal Bank, First National Bank, Fox Engineering, Friedrich Iowa Realty, Gateway Hotel & Conference Center, Greater Iowa Credit Union, Great Western Bank, HOMEWARD, Hunziker & Associates, Israel Family Hospice House, ISU Alumni Association, ISU Athletic Department, ISU College of Ag & Life Science, ISU Extension, ISU Facilities Planning & Management, ISU Food Services & Human Nutrition, ISU Foundation, ISU Printing & Copy Services, ISU Provost Office, ISU Student Activities Center, ISU Vet Med, JC Penney, Lutheran Services in Iowa, Parks Library, Sauer Danfoss, Sigler, Target, The Tribune, Triplett Companies, University Community Childcare, US Bank, Valley Bank, Wells Fargo
In Huxley: Ballard High School, Huxley Communications, Huxley Family Physicians, Kreg Tool, Lily Pad Learning Center, Monsanto, South Story Bank & Trust, The Whistle Stop, Wee Care Learning Center
In Nevada: Almaco, Central Elementary School, Hertz Farm Management, Midwest Insurance Corporation, Nevada Golden K Kiwanis, Nevada Jaycees, Nevada Kiwanis, Nevada Chamber, State Bank & Trust, Story County Medical Center, Story County employees
In Slater: Slater Boy Scouts, South Story Bank & Trust, Town & Country Market
In Story City: Ackley State Bank, American Packaging Corp, Bethany Life, Eby, Gilbert Boy Scouts, Randall-Story State Bank, Security State Bank, Story City Boy Scouts, Wells Fargo Bank
“We are proud to have partnered with United Way of Story County for this food drive,” said John Raines, vice president of Monsanto Customer Advocacy. “We are committed to supporting rural farming communities, and this donation will be one more step to helping those in need.”
Area food pantries will then be able to use the $10,000 Monsanto donation match to buy more than 71,000 pounds of food from the Food Bank of Iowa to help feed hungry families. The food and money donated by the community and Monsanto will go a long way to combat this real and substantial need of hunger in Story County.
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