The Power of Coalition

Joe Mellenbruch | October 7, 2024

In partnership with local organizations, Hormel Foods sponsors successful and inspiring Nourishing Champions snack-packing event at Austin High School

The power of a coalition united in common cause cannot be overstated. The city of Austin, Minnesota, demonstrated that power last week on the east lawn of Austin High School, where over 1,600 people joined forces in an extraordinary display of community collaboration to combat food insecurity.

In partnership with the United Way of Mower County, Austin Public Schools and the Hometown Food Security Project, Hormel Foods proudly sponsored the Nourishing Champions snack-packing event Thursday, Sept. 26 in Austin, as more than 1,500 ninth- through 12th-grade students were tasked with assembling 24,000 MATTERbox Snack Packs — 9,000 pounds of food — in an hour.

Not only were the Snack Packs assembled well ahead of schedule; it took the eager students less than a half hour to complete the task. But the totality of the event itself — the enthusiasm, the camaraderie, the teamwork — left all involved simply amazed by what had just been accomplished.

“I think it says a lot about the caring power of our community,” said Molly Lanke, United Way of Mower County director. “Our community volunteers stepped up big to help make this happen, and I can’t say enough about the students. It was a total team effort.”

More than half of the 150 volunteers on hand were Hormel Foods team members, many of whom began arriving at Austin High School as early as 7 in the morning to begin setting up tables and carrying boxes. Hormel Foods engaged MATTER, a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization, to supply the snack-pack contents and support event logistics, which were complex considering the size and scale of the event.

Still, by 9 a.m., rows and rows of packing stations were stretched across the east lawn of the school, ready to receive excited students celebrating homecoming week.

“We talk about our mission to inspire, empower and accelerate, preparing all of our learners to make a difference in the world,” said Joey Page, superintendent of Austin Public Schools. “In an hour, we got to see all those things come together, especially around our core values as a school district. It embodied it all, and I think it just goes to show what amazing things can happen when you have people working together for a common goal.”

The goal: feeding local youth.

The 24,000 snack packs are staying right here in southeast Minnesota. They’ll be used primarily to nourish and fuel students throughout Mower County — namely those participating in sports and other after-school activities — while also stocking school pantries throughout the county. That alone was a huge motivator for the students, knowing their snack-packing efforts would benefit their own peers.

“It personally gives me an amazing feeling,” said Ailani Thiravong, an Austin High School sophomore. “I’m sure the same goes for everyone else here, just that feeling of knowing that we’re doing something that is going to make a positive impact on our community, on our student body, for those people who might need these resources. This will have a huge impact.”

We’re doing this to remind our young people that they are natural-born leaders and that they can make an impact in the community
Gema Alvarado Guerrero, workforce wellness facilitator

That impact will also stretch into the community with help from the United Way of Mower County and the Hometown Food Security Project. Chicanos Latinos Unidos En Servicio (CLUES), for example, will hand out snack packs during its bi-weekly food distribution events at Riverland Community College. Austin Aspires, a local organization working toward improved educational outcomes for all Austin students, will also hand out snack packs to benefit its youth clientele.

The list goes on, all made possible by the hands and hearts of the Austin High School student body.

“We’re doing this to remind our young people that they are natural-born leaders and that they can make an impact in the community,” said Gema Alvarado Guerrero, workforce wellness facilitator at Hormel Foods. “When I was talking to them, letting them know where the snack packs were going, they got really excited to knowing that these snacks packs are going to help people in their community.”

That excitement was palpable from the moment packing began. Each class of students — freshmen through seniors — worked enthusiastically to assemble their snack packs as quickly as possible. Students competed against each other as they packed, all working to earn points as part of a friendly competition between classes, a long-standing Austin High School tradition on homecoming week. Teachers hustled for their students, as well, moving quickly from their respective tables to report packing results with the spirit of competitive racers.

The same energy was also evident prior to the students’ arrival, as eager volunteers in teal shirts scattered the school grounds with smiles on their faces, all working toward the same common goal.

Hormel Foods is a company that cares about making a positive impact on our communities.
Jason Baskin, marketing director

“It really was special to witness such a wonderful display of teamwork and community collaboration,” said Jason Baskin, director of marketing for the SPAM^® brand and Austin High School graduate, who earlier that same morning was honored by the school as a Distinguished Alumni.

“Whether it’s Austin or Little Rock or Dubuque,” he said, “Hormel Foods is a company that cares about making a positive impact on our communities. That’s one of the things that keeps you at Hormel Foods, because you know that it’s really a big family. It’s people who care about each other, they care about the business, they care about the community. Our culture is something really, really special, and I think it’s something that we have to continue to celebrate.”

The Power of Coalition

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