News

 The impact of a Food for Kidz meal-packing event doesn’t end when the last box is sealed. Every meal packed continues its journey to families who need it most, creating hope long after volunteers have gone home.

That impact was recently demonstrated with the donation of 7,500 Food for Kidz meals to the Kandiyohi County Food Shelf, where the meals will help provide nutritious food for children and families throughout the summer.

Beginning with the Food Shelf’s Parking Lot Giveaway program, these meals will be distributed to local families, ensuring children have access to nutritious food when school is out and household food needs often increase.

Local Support Creating Lasting Change

This donation was made possible through the generosity of everyone who participated in the Willmar Food Pack. Volunteers, donors, sponsors, and community supporters each played an important role in making these meals available for local families.

Every volunteer who packed meals, every donor who contributed, and every sponsor who invested in the mission helped extend the impact far beyond a single event. Together, they are helping ensure that nutritious meals reach families when they need them most.

A Community Partner Making a Difference

Food for Kidz extends heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Trent Neisen and the team at Authentic Dental of Willmar Dentistry and

Implants for their outstanding support through the One Hundred for the Hungry campaign.

By generously matching the funds raised during the Willmar Food Pack, Dr. Neisen helped Food for Kidz reach its fundraising goal. That support not only strengthened the meal-packing event but also made donations like this one possible, allowing Food for Kidz to continue serving communities both locally and around the world.

Strong community partnerships are essential to the Food for Kidz mission, helping expand the reach of every volunteer effort and every dollar donated.

Feeding Hope Close to Home

While Food for Kidz provides meals to children and families around the world, supporting local communities remains an important part of the organization’s mission.

The donation of 7,500 meals to the Kandiyohi County Food Shelf is a reminder that hunger exists in every community, and that local partnerships can make a meaningful difference. Programs like the Parking Lot Giveaway help connect families with nutritious meals during the summer months, when many children no longer have access to school meal programs.

Every meal distributed represents nourishment, hope, and the generosity of a community committed to caring for its neighbors.

Thank You for Making an Impact

Food for Kidz is grateful to every volunteer, donor, sponsor, and community partner who makes this work possible.

Because of your generosity, thousands of nutritious meals will reach children and families who need them most. Together, we’re proving that when communities unite with compassion and purpose, every meal packed becomes an opportunity to change a life.

Together, we’re feeding hope—one meal at a time.

When students, schools, businesses, and community members work together, the results can be extraordinary. That spirit of collaboration was on full display in Baraboo, Wisconsin, where the Baraboo High School Interact Club led a successful Food for Kidz meal-packing event that provided hope for children and families facing food insecurity around the world.

After months of fundraising, planning, and organizing, 221 volunteers gathered to pack an incredible 95,259 nutritious meals. Their efforts will help provide meals to children and families in Haiti, Honduras, Ukraine, through Orphan Grain Train, Inc., and to families served by Just One More Food Pantry in Milwaukee.

Student Leadership Made the Difference

The event was organized by the Baraboo High School Interact Club, whose members demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and commitment to serving others. Their months of preparation transformed into a day of meaningful action as volunteers worked together to package thousands of meals.

The event showcased the incredible impact young people can have when they are empowered to lead and supported by their community.

A Community United to Fight Hunger

The success of the event was made possible by the generosity of the Baraboo community, which raised more than $10,000 to support the meal-packing effort.

Students, teachers, local businesses, service organizations, and community volunteers all played an important role in making the day a success. Their combined efforts demonstrate what is possible when an entire community rallies around a common mission.

Thank You to Our Community Partners

Food for Kidz extends sincere gratitude to everyone who helped make this event possible, including:

• Baraboo High School Interact Club
• Indigenous Students United Club
• Baraboo Lions Club
• Rotary Club of Baraboo
• Wisconsin State Senator Sarah Keyeski
• Local businesses, donors, educators, and community volunteers

Their leadership, financial support, and volunteer service helped create an event that will make a lasting difference for children and families experiencing hunger.

More Than Meals—A Lasting Impact

Every one of the 95,259 meals packed represents more than nourishment. Each meal is a reminder that communities can work together to create hope for people they may never meet.

Through partnerships with organizations serving communities in Haiti, Honduras, Ukraine, Orphan Grain Train, Inc., and Just One More Food Pantry in Milwaukee, these meals will reach families facing food insecurity both internationally and here in the United States.

Bringing Communities Together Through Service

Food for Kidz events are about more than meal packing. They bring together students, educators, civic organizations, businesses, churches, and volunteers of all ages to serve alongside one another. These shared experiences strengthen communities while creating life-changing support for families in need.

The Baraboo meal-packing event is a powerful example of what can happen when young leaders inspire an entire community to take action.

Join the Food for Kidz Mission

Whether you’re a school, church, business, civic club, or community organization, you can make a lasting impact by hosting a Food for Kidz meal-packing event. Together, volunteers package nutritious meals that bring hope to children and families around the world while building stronger communities close to home.

Every volunteer matters. Every donation makes a difference. Every meal packed helps change a life.

The Stewartville community came together on April 11 for an incredible day of service, packing 113,280 meals for children and families in Haiti and Honduras during the annual Food for Kidz meal-packing event.

As part of the Kiwanis One Day of Service, 259 volunteers dedicated their time and energy to help fight hunger. Families, friends, youth groups, Kiwanis members, and community volunteers worked side by side throughout the event, demonstrating the power of service and community collaboration.

The event was organized by the Stewartville Kiwanis Club, whose leadership helped bring together volunteers and supporters from across the region. Members of the Sunrisers Kiwanis Club of Rochester also participated, joining the effort to make a meaningful impact for families facing food insecurity.

One of the most inspiring parts of the day was seeing so many young volunteers involved. Scouts from Pack 156 and other youth participants worked alongside adults, showing that making a difference has no age limit. Their enthusiasm and willingness to serve reflected the spirit of the event and the importance of teaching the next generation about compassion, generosity, and community service.

The success of the event was made possible not only by the volunteers who packed meals but also by the generous support of local businesses, organizations, and individuals who helped fund the ingredients needed to package the food.

Stewartville Kiwanis Club and    Food for Kidz extends sincere gratitude to:

• First Farmers & Merchants Bank
• Benike Construction
• Kwik Trip
• Hy-Vee
• Old National Bank
• Casey’s
• Cabin Coffee
• Zion Lutheran Church
• Lions Club
• Fareway
• Root River Dental
• American Legion
• Sportsman’s Club

Their financial support, along with donations from local individuals and multiple Kiwanis clubs, helped make it possible to provide more than 113,000 meals for communities in need.

What was accomplished in a single day will have a lasting impact. Every meal packed represents hope, nourishment, and the compassion of a community willing to come together to help others. Through the efforts of 259 volunteers and the generosity of local supporters, thousands of children and families in Haiti and Honduras will receive nutritious meals and the encouragement that comes from knowing people care.

The Stewartville Food for Kidz event serves as a powerful reminder of what can happen when businesses, service organizations, churches, families, and volunteers unite around a common purpose. Together, they packed 113,280 meals and demonstrated that even a single day of service can make a difference that reaches around the world.

Bernadotte Lutheran Church celebrated a successful Food for Kidz Mission Sunday on April 12, bringing together volunteers of all ages for a day of service, fellowship, and community impact.

The annual meal-packing event welcomed 56 volunteers, including members of Bernadotte Lutheran Church and First Lutheran Church, extended family members, friends, and even Lafayette royalty. United by a common goal, participants worked together to help provide nutritious meals for children and families facing food insecurity both in the United States and around the world.

Using six assembly lines, volunteers packed an impressive 18,576 meals—approximately 1,000 more meals than were packed during last year’s event. The accomplishment reflects the dedication and enthusiasm of everyone who participated.

One of the highlights of the day was seeing volunteers from multiple generations working side by side. From experienced adults to young children eager to help, everyone found a way to contribute. Some of the youngest volunteers proudly took on the task of moving heavy boxes onto carts to be loaded onto the truck, demonstrating that every helping hand made a difference.

In addition to packing meals, the event raised $3,460 to support the mission of Food for Kidz. These funds will help further the organization’s efforts to provide nutritious meals to communities in need and extend the impact of the volunteers’ work beyond the packing room.

The day was about more than just packing meals. It was also an opportunity for fellowship and connection. Volunteers enjoyed visiting while they worked, creating an atmosphere filled with teamwork, laughter, and shared purpose. Following the meal-packing effort, participants gathered for a song, a short devotion, and a meal of pizza and pop to celebrate a successful day of service.

Mission Sunday once again demonstrated the power of a community coming together to make a difference. Through the efforts of 56 dedicated volunteers, 18,576 meals will help bring hope and nourishment to children and families near and far. Food for Kidz is grateful for the generosity, energy, and compassion shown by everyone who helped make the event such a success.