March 9th is a big day in the fight against hunger. It’s when nine area Kiwanis Clubs will partner with their high school Key Clubs and converge on the Food Bank for Larimer County. The goal: to pack 50,000 meals for those in need in Northern Colorado. It’s a tall order, but thanks in part to grants from the Rocky Mountain District Foundation and the Give Next program, it’s one that can be achieved.
“The goal of this project is to make an impact on hunger in our community,” said Ashley Lauwereins, the Kiwanis member who organized the project. “We want to truly make an impact on our communities and by working together and pulling our resources we are able to make a bigger impact than one single club could work alone.”
Kiwanis is an organization that focuses on helping children in need. In Larimer County, 1 in 3 children is food insecure, meaning they are either currently hungry or approaching hunger. In Weld County, that number is 1 in 4 children. The 50,000 meals will be split evenly between the two organizations and distributed to those who need them through different programs. In Larimer County, the meals will be primarily distributed through the Fresh Food Share program. In Weld County, the food will be used primarily in the Children’s BackPack Program.
“This project is a perfect example of the community coming together in the fight against hunger,” said Food Bank for Larimer County CEO Amy Pezzani. “It is so encouraging to see so many volunteers pitch in to make a difference. The meals that are created during this event really have an impact on those who are food insecure in our community.”
This is the fourth year that Kiwanis Clubs have partnered with the Food Bank of Larimer County, and the largest meal packing event to date. Over the last four years, more than 130,000 meals have been packed and given to the two organizations.
Food Bank for Larimer County was founded in 1984, the Food Bank for Larimer County is the county’s only Feeding America clearinghouse for donated food. In 2018, the Food Bank provided enough food for nearly 7.2 million meals through a variety of hunger-relief programs. An estimated 37,500 Larimer County residents received assistance through the Food Bank’s programs and partners last year. For more information, visit foodbanklarimer.org.
Kiwanis International is a global community of clubs, members and partners dedicated to improving the lives of children one community at a time. The Fort Collins Eyeopeners Club is one of three Fort Collins Kiwanis Clubs and members contribute over 10,000 hours to different community service projects annually.
If you’re interested in learning more about the event visit: http://fortcollinseyeopenerskiwanis.org/volunteer-with-us/colorado-feeding-kids-meal-packing-event-sign-up/