Iowa Farm Bureau and Fareway Stores are working together to feed hungry Iowans by donating a truckload of meat through the “Meat the Need” campaign. 

As part of the campaign, Farm Bureau and Fareway partnered to donate 1 pound of lean protein for every 10-pound tube of ground beef sold at Fareway from Sept. 16-21. 

In total, 26,950 pounds of ground beef, pork and turkey were delivered last week to the Food Bank of Iowa, which will work with the Iowa Food Bank Association to distribute the meat to food pantries and meal sites throughout the state. The Iowa Food Bank Association is comprised of six Feeding America food banks covering all 99 counties in the state.

“Almost 27,000 pounds of protein will fly out of this warehouse in the upcoming days and will be consumed by Iowans at their dinner table over the weeks to come,” said Michelle Book, CEO of Food Bank of Iowa. “High quality protein, especially meat, is the building block for many family meals, and sourcing enough meat has always been a priority and a challenge for food banks.” 

Farmers fighting hunger

Iowa Farm Bureau President Brent Johnson noted that Farm Bureau members have a long history of supporting local food banks serving their communities through various initiatives and fundraising events at local grocery stores.

“As farmers, we take tremendous pride in growing and raising the food that sustains our communities,” said Johnson, a Calhoun County farmer. “Food insecurity is a heartbreaking reality of the challenging times many families currently face, so Iowa Farm Bureau is proud to join Fareway again to help ‘Meat the Need’ by providing nearly 14 tons of lean, high-quality and nutritious proteins to our neighbors in need across the state.”   

“Meat the Need” underscores the importance of partnerships in fighting hunger in Iowa, especially as families gather during the holiday season, added Fareway President Garrett Piklapp. 

“Food insecurity is something we take seriously and we understand it requires a collective group of partners to address the growing number of Iowans who need access to quality meat products,” Piklapp said. “Thank you to our generous customers for participating, Iowa stores and meat markets, and our partners at Iowa Farm Bureau for helping secure lean protein for local food banks going into the holiday seasons.”

Historic demand continues

Lean ground protein is especially appealing because it’s versatile and easy to prepare, Book said. It can be used in dishes like meatloaf, casseroles, skillet meals, tacos and many others.

The donation comes at a critical time as food banks across the state continue to see unrelenting demand, she added.

“A record number of Iowans need food assistance now. That means food banks must purchase more food, including meat,” said Book. “This donation comes at a critical time when food insecurity is at historic levels — 345,000 Iowans struggle with food insecurity, 100,000 of our children don’t have enough food to eat at home.” 

Gretchen Nollman, food sourcing manager for River Bend Food Bank, said requests for assistance in the agency’s five-county territory covering Dubuque, Jackson, Clinton, Scott and Muscatine counties are around 20% higher than last year and donations aren’t keeping pace.

“We serve over 126,000 people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from, so being close to the holidays, [this donation is] huge for us so families can come together and have a good, nutritious meal,” said Nollman. “Protein is definitely a big mission for us this year and having a variety of protein options is great for people.”

Book said the Food Bank of Iowa is seeing more requests from working families with children who are struggling to make ends meet. Some 37% of Iowa households don’t make enough money to cover their basic needs of food, housing and energy costs, according to a report by the United Way of Iowa.

For more information about ways to help the Iowa Food Bank Association and its six partner food banks, go to www.iowafba.org.