Last year Jeff and Deb Hansen, Iowa Select Farms and generous donations from employees and friends were given in 158 towns and 64 counties across Iowa.

July 9, 2020

2 Min Read
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Iowa Select Farms

The Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation released its 2019 Impact Report Wednesday showing that the organization helped 67,013 Iowa families through contributions and donations valued at $1,565,043. This work was made possible thanks to Jeff and Deb Hansen, Iowa Select Farms and generous donations from employees, suppliers, contractors and friends.

"As a Homegrown Iowa company, we were proud to give back to the communities where we have farms and where our employees live and work," says Jen Sorenson, communications director of Iowa Select Farms. "Last year, we made donations in 158 towns and 64 counties across Iowa."

The Foundation gives through eight main programs that provide food to struggling Iowans, show gratitude to members of the Armed Forces and improving the quality of life for families impacted by childhood cancers. In 2019, the Foundation added four new initiatives to its flagship programs.

Through Henry's Heroes, 245 families were supplied children's personal care packages from Foundation donations to hospitals, food pantries, and women and children's shelters. The program was inspired by Henry Johnson, Deb and Jeff Hansen's grandchild and the son of Natalie and Jake Johnson.

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With Project Food and Fellowship, the Foundation helped create 15 social gatherings for 3,053 military families. "From buying flowers for a veterans event to renting a bouncy house for a family ball, we were honored to bring memorable touches to events," Sorenson says. The program also donated a van to the Hardin County Veterans Affairs office to transport veterans around the community.

In the fall of 2019, the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation installed a Little Free Pantry in Riceville as a pilot project. Throughout 2020, the Foundation will be installing 11 more pantries across rural Iowa. The Little Free Pantry provides 24/7 access for families facing short-term, emergency situations.

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Ignite the Spirit built on nine years of success of the Operation Christmas Meal program, which distributes pork loins to food insecure Iowans before the holiday. Ignite the Spirit supplied 18 school groups with two cases of pork loins, $250 and a meal kit to prepare a meal for 2,891 families in need.

The entire report can be found on the Iowa Select Farms website. Some highlights include:

  • 24,365 pork loins

  • 1,076,400 ham sandwich ingredient coupons

  • 10,000 pork snack sticks

  • 180 school supplies packages

  • 100 Christmas gifts

  • 590 My Journey support packages

  • 12,000 coupon packets

Over the past few months, the Foundation added a program to meet the challenges posed by COVID-19. Helping the Helpers recognizes people working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis. The Foundation continues to seek nominations for Iowans helping their communities during the global pandemic. 

Source: Iowa Select Farms, which is solely responsible for the information provided, and wholly owns the information. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

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