Rutherford County Government Leads Hunger Relief Effort
Hunger is a serious problem for some families in Rutherford County, and Rutherford County Government and its employees are stepping up to make a difference in local hunger relief efforts.
On February 22 from 10am-Noon, employees and other volunteers will participate in an Outreach Program Food Packaging Event at Lane Agri Park. In a span of just two hours, around 50,000 meals will be packaged and ready for pick-up by non-profit assistance programs in the community.
Mayor Bill Ketron, who has previously played an active role in events of this kind, is excited to bring this opportunity to Rutherford County. “This is a unique assembly line process and a fun way for our employees and their families to make an immediate positive impact on our community.”
The event was coordinated through The Outreach Program and made possible by donations from local businesses. The meals were created by Iowa State University’s Food Science Department and are nutritious and tasty.
“We are extremely grateful for all those who have had a hand in making this event possible,” said Ketron.
The Outreach Program was started by Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton of Union Iowa. A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Outreach has helped to package more than 550 million meals that have been distributed across the United States and around the world. Outreach Meal Packaging Events are set up across the United States to engage businesses, religious and civic organizations, schools, and volunteers of all ages to package nutritious meals for the hungry. Co-Founders Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton were invited to the White House by President Barack Obama and former President H.W.Bush to be honored with the 5,000th Point of Light Award. As a recipient of the top “Four Star” rating from Charity Navigator and GuideStar’s Exchange Seal for transparency, Outreach is committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged individuals. For more information, visit www.outreachprogram.org.
