IOWA FALLS — Empty freezers in more than 80 rural food pantries are now full of boneless pork loins after the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation and Iowa Select Farms donated approximately 44,000 pounds of nutrient-rich protein to help feed Iowa families in need.
The pork was delivered throughout June and July to local community organizations, food shelves and pantries across the state.
“We believe everyone deserves a good meal, and with kids home from school and food pantries depleted of much-needed meat, we make every effort to restock their freezers and help them with community meals,” said Jeff Hansen, president and chief executive officer of Iowa Select Farms.
During the donation period, Iowa Select Farms’ refrigerated semi traveled 1,567 miles to 54 communities and 82 food pantries. This year, the delivery team captured the unique story of each pantry and their volunteers, posting to social media throughout July.
“As we made our way across the state, we worked to capture the story of each pantry, their volunteers and the families they serve,” said Jen Sorenson, communications director at Iowa Select Farms. “Each pantry is unique in their own way, and by posting our journey on our Facebook page and website blog we were able to spotlight each organization to help build awareness of hunger and food insecurity in rural communities.”
In total, 808 cases of pork loins were distributed during this round of donations, and with the tremendous need for lean protein, pantries exhaust their supplies very quickly.
“Many of our families simply can’t afford to buy meat,” said Gwen Simpson, coordinator for the United Methodist Church Food Pantry in Lamoni. “Families in need will purchase the cheapest food options, however studies show those available choices may not always be the best source of nutrition. Receiving the lean and protein-rich pork loins means a lot to us and the families we serve, they are always incredibly grateful.”
Each donated pork loin is being accompanied by a free 16-page booklet intended to provide families with information about how to properly store, handle and prepare the pork.
The booklet also contains a collection of easy and economical recipes for families to prepare the pork loin into a full meal, and even make it stretch into several meals.
The boneless pork loins are approximately 4.5 pounds each and feed 24 people a 3-ounce serving of pork. The 808 cases of pork loin roasts donated by the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation and Iowa Select Farms will provide approximately 232,704 servings to Iowa families.
About the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation
The Hansens, who founded Iowa Select Farms and New Modern Concepts in Iowa Falls, established the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation in 2006 to create programs and resources to relieve hunger, show gratitude to members of the Armed Services and their families and strengthen efforts to find a cure for childhood cancer while improving the quality of life for cancer patients.
About Iowa Select Farms
Iowa Select Farms is the largest pork producer in Iowa and is committed to responsibly producing safe, nutritious and high quality pork for their customers and the food companies they serve. Founded by and privately-owned by Iowa Falls natives, Jeff and Deb Hansen, the company has 165,000 sows and annually produces nearly one billion pounds of pork.
With 700 swine farms across the state, Iowa Select Farms is one of the leading economic engines to Iowa’s rural communities through employing more than 1,000 people, contracting with more than 345 farmers and supporting hundreds of local businesses throughout the state.
List of pantries/organizations served
Osceola, Clarke County Food Pantry
Chariton, Inter-Church Council Food Pantry
Chariton, Kid’s Life Discovery Center
Leon, Clarke Co. Outreach
Lamoni, United Methodist Church Food Pantry
Mt. Ayr, Matura Ringgold County
Bedford, Matura Taylor County Neighborhood
Diagonal, Diagonal School District
Lenox, Ministerial Association
Lenox, Neighborhood Center
Corning, Matura Adams County
Creston, United Congregational Church
Creston, First Presbyterian Church
Creston, Matura Action Corporation
Afton, Union County Fairgrounds
Murray, Church of Christ Food Pantry
Lorimor, Lorimor Food Pantry
Iowa Falls, First Church of Open Bible
Iowa Falls, Hardin County Friendship Club
Iowa Falls, Riverbend Childcare
Ackley, Ackley Food Pantry
Parkersburg, Aplington-Parkersburg Food Pantry
New Hartford, New Hartford United Methodist Church
Shell Rock, Shell Rock Food Pantry
Clarksville, Clarksville Food Pantry
Allison, Allison Food Pantry
Allison, Butler County Visions of Well Being
Dumont, Dumont-Aredale Food Pantry
Hampton, Ministerio Manos Al Arado
Hampton, Franklin County Public Health and Homecare
Hampton, Franklin County Food Pantry
Hampton, St. Patricks Catholic Church
Hampton, United Methodist Church
Alden, Alden Food Pantry/ Hilltop Village
Riceville, Riceville Food Pantry
Mason City, Mason City Homeless Shelter
Mason City, Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank
Nashua, Nashua Area Food Pantry
Lyle MN, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
LeRoy MN, LeRoy Area Food Shelf
New Hampton, Chickasaw County Food Pantry
Osage, Mitchell County Food Bank
Clear Lake, United Methodist Church
Charles City, Jordan River Messiah’s Food Pantry
Cresco, Howard County Community Action
Grundy Center, Grundy County Food Pantry
Jewell, Lord’s Cupboard
Story City, Loaves & Fishes
Zearing, Zearing-McCallsburg Food Pantry
State Center, Christian Community Cupboard
Nevada, Nevada Community Cupboard
Ames, Mid-Iowa Community Action
Ames, The Salvation Army
Ames, Emergency Residence Project
Ames, Food at First