Iowa Select Farms supports Iowa veterans and military families by helping communities host Veterans Day celebrations
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (November 8, 2024) – 160 Iowa veteran-based organizations are preparing to host Veterans Day celebrations with the support of Iowa Select Farms and the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation. Eligible veterans’ organizations, community groups and nonprofits received pork loins and supplies on Oct. 25, 2024 for Veterans Day community events.
The pork loins and event kits help communities celebrate and honor veterans in their area, spanning 65 Iowa counties and 115 communities. Encompassing the 160 organizations are 63 American Legions, 27 Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations, 17 Elks Lodges, 14 County Veteran Affairs Offices, 11 AMVETS and 28 other veteran-based groups.
This is the second year that pork loins and supplies have been offered. Each organization was offered 48 boneless pork loins and an event kit complete with placemats, cups, napkins, centerpieces, posters, aprons and t-shirts. On average, the kits will feed 960 people.
Building on the success of 2023, 84 new organizations requested supplies this year, demonstrating a 45% increase in participation from the program’s inaugural year. In a survey of participants, 41 reported planning a brand new event due to the offer. Over 75% reported that their current programming would be significantly enhanced.
“The Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation believes in the power of food to bring people together in celebration, and we are excited to see our programming spur more communities to host events,” said Laura Noehren, Foundation Program Manager. “We hope that through the Pork for Patriots offering, veterans across the state will be honored this Veterans Day and every day.”
Pork for Patriots is just one of the foundation’s programs devoted to supporting and honoring Iowa veterans and military families. The foundation offers micro-grants through Project Food and Fellowship, outfits veterans through the My Veteran Hero program, delivers Pork Care Package coupons to active military members, sends annual gifts to Gold Star families and sponsors of the Veterans Day parade at the Iowa State Fair.
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About the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation
The Hansens, who founded Iowa Select Farms and New Modern Concepts in Iowa Falls, Iowa, established the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation in 2006 to relieve hunger, support military families and strengthen efforts to find a cure for childhood cancer while improving the quality of life for cancer patients. In 2023, the Foundation donated over 2.6 million dollars to efforts that impacted over 1 million families across all 99 counties in Iowa. Learn more at iowaselect.com/foundation.
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. The company has 242,000 sows and annually produces more than one billion pounds of pork. With 800 swine farms across the state, Iowa Select Farms is one of the leading economic engines to Iowa’s rural communities through employing more than 1,200 people, contracting with more than 650 farmers and supporting hundreds of local businesses throughout the state.
Participating organizations:
American Legion Post #252, Ackley
Moving Veterans Forward of North Central Iowa, Algona
American Legion Post #682, Altoona
Subvets Placoderm Base, Altoona
Elks Lodge #1626, Ames
American Legion Post #37, Ames
American Legion Post #210, Anita
American Legion Post #389, Anthon
AMVETS Post #102, Aplington
American Legion Post #694, Arcadia
Elks Lodge #445, Atlantic
American Legion Post #227, Avoca
American Legion Post #711, Blue Grass
Support Our Veterans Ride Inc., Bode
American Legion Post #563, Bonaparte
VFW Post #817, Boone
VFW Auxiliary Unit #817, Boone
American Legion Auxiliary Unit #56, Boone
American Legion Post #56, Boone
American Legion Post #607, Breda
American Legion Riders, Breda
AMVETS Post #49, Cedar Falls
Freedom Foundation, Cedar Rapids
AMVETS Post #37, Central City
Floyd County Veterans Affairs, Charles City
VFW Post #3914, Charles City
Elks Lodge #418, Charles City
Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association 39-4, Clinton
Moose Lodge #363, Clinton
Midwest Military Outreach, Columbus Junction
Wayne County Veterans Affairs, Corydon
American Legion Post #68, Corydon
Elks Lodge #605, Creston
Fraternal Order of Eagles #1398, Creston
VFW Post #5240, Dakota City
Quad City Veteran Outreach Center, Davenport
Elks Lodge #298, Davenport
VFW Post #1977, Decorah
American Legion Auxiliary Unit #296, Deep River
VFW Post #2504, Denison
VFW Post #9662, Des Moines
Marine Corps League Detachment 103, Des Moines
VFW Post #9127, Des Moines
VFW Auxiliary Unit #9127, Des Moines
American Legion Auxiliary, Des Moines
AMVETS Post #2, Des Moines
Dexter United Methodist Church, Dexter
American Legion Post #494, Douds
American Legion Post #444, Dow City
American Legion Post #523, Dows
Dubuque County Veterans Affairs, Dubuque
Moose Lodge #355, Dubuque
Veterans Freedom Center, Dubuque
Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association 39-3, Dubuque
Disabled American Veterans, Dubuque
VFW Post #508, Dubuque
Tri State Women Warriors, Dubuque
Dubuque Rescue Mission, Dubuque
VFW Post #12194, Durant
American Legion Post #137, Dyersville
American Legion Post #158, Earlham
American Legion Post #182, Eldora
American Legion Post #541, Ellston
VFW Post #2295, Emmetsburg
AMVETS Post #13, Epworth
VFW Post #3388, Estherville
EVANSDALE AMVETS, Evansdale
Fairfield Elks Lodge #1192, Fairfield
ALA Farley Unit #656, Farley
Loyal Order of The Moose #806, Fort Dodge
VFW Post #1856, Fort Dodge
Marine Corps League, Fort Dodge
Lee County Veterans Affairs Office, Fort Madison
American Legion Post #625, Garner
American Legion Auxiliary Post #127, Gladbrook
Swingin’ Fore Soldiers, Gowrie
American Legion Post #431, Gowrie
American Legion Post #466, Grand Mound
American Legion Post #717, Granger
Des Moines Chief Petty Officer Mess, Granger
Grinnell Elks Lodge, Grinnell
American Legion Post #53, Grinnell
Sons Of The American Legion Squadron #53, Grinnell
American Legion Auxiliary Post #53, Grinnell
Guthrie County Veterans Affairs, Guthrie Center
American Legion Post #83, Hedrick
VFW Post #3949, Iowa City
BPO Elks #590, Iowa City
Iowa Falls Elks Lodge #1674, Iowa Falls
BPOE Elks, Jefferson
American Legion Post #41, Keokuk
Van Buren County Veteran Affairs, Keosauqua
AMVETS, Keystone
VFW Post #3533, Laurens
American Legion Auxiliary Post #161, Le Roy
American Legion Post #80, Leon
Decatur County Veterans Affairs, Leon
AMVETS Post #10, Lincoln
American Legion Post #415, Livermore
American Legion Post #656, Luxemburg
VFW Auxiliary Post #5060, Madrid
American Legion Post #45, Manchester
American Legion Riders Post #110, Manly
VFW Auxiliary Post #3517, Manning
Manson Lions Club, Manson
American Legion Post #298, Marion
American Legion Post #46, Marshalltown
Marshalltown Elks Lodge #312, Marshalltown
Cerro Gordo Veterans Affairs, Mason City
VFW Post #733, Mason City
American Legion Post #632, Melcher
American Legion Post #483, Milton
American Legion Post #99, Minburn
American Legion Post #172, Mount Ayr
Healing Heroes Homestead, Mt Pleasant
American Legion Post #157, Murray
Chickasaw County Veterans Affairs, New Hampton
American Legion Post #660, New Hartford
Clarke County Veterans Affairs, Osceola
American Legion Post #69, Osceola
Oskaloosa Elks Lodge #340, Oskaloosa
VFW Post #2237, Oskaloosa
American Legion Post #34, Oskaloosa
American Legion Post #285, Parkersburg
VFW Post #2060, Perry
BPOE Elks #98, Pleasant Hill
Pocahontas County Veterans Affairs, Pocahontas
American Legion Post #232, Polk City
American Legion Auxiliary Post #61, Prescott
BPO Elks #1304, Red Oak
VFW Post #6414, Riverside
Calhoun County Commission of Veteran Affairs, Rockwell City
AMVETS Post #41, Rockwell City
Sac County Area Quilters and First Christian Church of Sac City, Sac City
VFW Post #3930, Schleswig
American Legion Post #166, Shellsburg
Shenandoah Elks Lodge #1122, Shenandoah
185th Air Refueling Wing, Sioux City
Sioux City Elks Lodge #112, Sioux City
American Legion Post #260, Slater
American Legion Post #467, Spillville
American Legion Post #223, Sumner
Cedar County Veterans Affairs, Tipton
VFW Auxiliary Post #2537, Tipton
VFW Post #2537, Tipton
Tama County Veterans Affairs, Toledo
VFW Post #4013, Tripoli
American Legion Post #403, Van Meter
American Legion Post #57, Vinton
AMVETS Post #218, Vinton
American Legion Post #548, Walcott
American Legion Post #138, Waterloo
Americans for Independent Living, Waterloo
Bartels Lutheran Retirement Communities, Waverly
WAVP (Waverly Area Veterans Post), Waverly
AMVETS, Waverly
The Waverly Senior Center, Waverly
VFW Post #2208, Waverly
Hamilton County Veterans Affairs, Webster City
VFW Post #8879, West Des Moines
American Legion Post #15, West Union
American Legion Post #425, Whittemore
American Legion Post #405, Woodburn
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