Recent data shows that 15% of Story County families are experiencing food insecurity. Many local food pantries are having shortages to keep up with the demand.  The Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis District has set “Alleviating Childhood Hunger” as a 2019-20 priority goal. Kiwanis Clubs in the District are encouraged to develop service projects to help fulfill this goal.

    In response, Ames Golden K devised a month long project in January to collect food items and solicit cash from its members entitled “Helping Put Food on the Table”. A competition between two teams –Red and Gold, of course– was designed to see which team could collect the most food items plus cash donations. A club goal of 500 food items and $500 cash was set.

     Over the month of January, 575 cans, bottles, jars, boxes and packages of food items and $1,575 were donated by Golden K members, far exceeding the club goal. Members of the Red Team donated the most cash and the Gold Team collected the most food items.

     A celebration of the project’s success was held at Golden K’s Feb. 20 meeting with a presentation of food items and cash divided equally between the Food at First, Mid Iowa Community Action (MICA), and Ames Bethesda Lutheran Food Pantries.

    Pictured with the poster are left to right: Golden K President Gina Spohnheimer, Golden K’s Bob Sperry, Food at First’s Patty Yoder, Bethesda Lutheran Food Pantry’s Donna Grooms, Golden K’s Norm Scott, MICA’s Josie Stahlin, and Golden K’s Larry Trede.

    Pictured with some of the food items left to right: Golden K members Norm Scott, Ron Skrdla, and Larry Trede.