Hunger Heroes: Iowans making a difference in the fight to stop hunger

Thursday, Sept. 7  |  11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  |  Virtual Event

Join us for a fast-paced, action-oriented look at the heroic efforts of four Iowans who are working each and every day to help fight hunger at our upcoming virtual event, Iowa Stops Hunger: Hunger Heroes. This dynamic program will showcase individuals and their organization’s efforts to lead the way in fighting food insecurity by giving food, time, funds — or all three. Audience members will leave both educated on the challenge of hunger, and with inspiration from the creative and innovative ways our hunger heroes are working to combat the growing issue of food insecurity in our state.

Speakers

Zuli Garcia, executive director, Knock and Drop Iowa
John Kline, pastor, Zion Lutheran Church
Michelle Paulsen, letter carrier, U.S. Postal Service
Gwen Simpson, executive director, Lamoni Food Pantry


Past Events - AVAILABLE TO ReWATCH ON-DEMAND

Iowa Stops Hunger: Iowa Business Leaders Making a Difference (Aug. 30, 2022)

Join us for a fast-paced, action-oriented look at what you and your organization can do to combat hunger at our upcoming virtual event, Iowa Stops Hunger: Iowa Business Leaders Making a Difference. This dynamic program will showcase individuals and companies in Iowa that are leading the way in fighting food insecurity by giving food, giving time or giving funds -- or all of those things. Participants will leave equipped with the facts on hunger, inspired to do more, and with a list of creative ideas you and your company can implement today to combat a growing issue in our state.


Countdown to hunger: 10 ways your business can fight hunger now (Aug. 31, 2021)

THE TOPIC:

Join us for a fast-paced, action-oriented look at what you and your organization can do to stop food insecurity in Iowa at Countdown to fight hunger: Top 10 ways your business can fight hunger now, our upcoming virtual Iowa Stops Hunger event. This dynamic program will highlight leading individuals and companies in Iowa that are fighting food insecurity by giving food, giving time or giving funds -- or all of those things. Participants will leave equipped with the facts on hunger, inspired to do more, and with a list of 10 top ideas you and your company can implement today.


Suddenly Hungry: How the pandemic has increased food insecurity in Iowa, and how you can help. (March 11, 2021)

The Topic:

We all know someone or have read about someone who is struggling with food insecurity as the coronavirus pandemic has touched us all during the past year. It might be you. For many of us the pandemic has only disrupted the way we work, how we shop, or how we gather with friends and family. For others it has disrupted their ability to put food on their family’s table. The number of Iowans experiencing food insecurity has grown over the past year with 1 in 7 of us being food insecure. That number is even higher for our children.

As we near the one-year anniversary of the start of the pandemic, one thing is clear: The problem of food insecurity isn’t getting any better and the challenges we’ve faced over the past year will continue into the new year and beyond. But along the way we’ve also seen resilience as those working on the front lines of food insecurity have adapted and innovated to find new ways to get food to those who need it most. As we approach the anniversary of the pandemic, we will talk to experts, front-line workers and others to learn about the challenges they continue to face and seek ways you can help to ensure that no Iowan has to go hungry.


Confronting drivers of hunger: State and local policy considerations (Nov. 4, 2020)

The Topic:

When people think of the front lines of food insecurity, they often picture the nonprofit and community leaders devoted to feeding the hungry and ensuring individuals have access to nutritious food. But both the individuals served and the organizations serving them are affected by the complexities of local and state policy decisions. In this panel discussion, we’ll hear from those fighting to end hunger about the role the government can play in ensuring that no Iowan has to be food insecure. Policies related to poverty, health and agriculture will be among the key focuses of the discussion. Among the questions we plan to tackle: What are the top policy priorities for leaders of organizations feeding the hungry? How does poverty -- and policy related to essential needs -- affect food insecurity? How are our local government entities (city, county, school district and state) working to fight food insecurity?


Iowa Stops Hunger - Hunger so close to home (July 30, 2020)

The Topic:
Iowa feeds the world, yet many in our state do not know where to turn for their next meal. In our first panel, we explored hunger in Iowa, whom it affects, and how the pandemic has made this problem even worse. A panel of experts from hunger and food insecurity nonprofits, government agencies, and academia outlined the issue and discussed what individuals and businesses can do to help.