Hunger-Free Minnesota is a statewide coalition of community and corporate organizations focused on closing Minnesota’s missing meals gap by providing 100 million additional meals, annually and sustainably, for Minnesotans in need by 2014. The purpose is to ensure that no Minnesotan will go without food in their time of need, and to get food resources to the people that need it most.
“The contribution from Hormel Foods is a testament to the company’s commitment to fight hunger in Minnesota,” said Ellie Lucas, chief campaign officer, Hunger-Free Minnesota. “We hope Hormel’s leadership will inspire other Minnesota companies to step forward and join our campaign to feed Minnesota’s hungriest citizens.”
DMARC is an interfaith organization that provides a common means of responding to basic human needs and serves as a liaison between member congregations to accomplish good in the Greater Des Moines community. Since 2009, DMARC has researched the hunger problem in Polk County, Iowa, with a focus on understanding the hunger problem in the community so that a plan can be developed to find a solution in the most effective manner.
“We are ecstatic to receive this donation, which will be vital in continuing our work to understand where the biggest hunger problems are, and how we as a community can best address food insecurity issues for our neighbors” said Sarai Schnucker Rice, executive director at DMARC.
“Hormel Foods is committed to combating the persistence of hunger in the United States,” said Julie H. Craven, vice president of corporate communications at Hormel Foods. “We have many employees in both Minnesota and Iowa, and because of that, these states are important areas of focus. We understand each community has its own challenges, which is why we believe we can work with organizations like Hunger-Free Minnesota and DMARC on a grassroots level to help meet local residents’ needs and end hunger.”
The donations are part of the “On Our Way to Ending Hunger” program at Hormel Foods, which involves collaborating with retailers, nonprofits and the government on hunger relief efforts; nourishing the hungry in the United States and abroad; and motivating individuals and corporate partners to take action to fight hunger. Through this program, Hormel Foods has also donated to hunger-relief organizations in more than a dozen communities where it has U.S. manufacturing facilities, including several in both Minnesota and Iowa.
