Chariton Food Pantries

Rain or shine, our Haul Out Hunger team is excited to be delivering another 10,000 pounds of pork today! As promised, we hit the interstate bright and early with our sights (and GPS!) set on towns in southern Iowa like Creston, Osceola and Humeston, where we have several sow farms, nurseries, multiplication farms and of course, hundreds of employees!

On our first stop in Chariton, we delivered 36 loins to the Hope Learning Center where kitchen cook Teresa Cobb greeted us with open arms…and freezers! The staff at Hope Learning Center are fully trained and educated in early childhood development and education and are committed to fostering a safe and nurturing environment, which is where our fresh pork loins come into play. “These loins are packed full of lean protein and are just the type of food that our kids need to be eating,” said Teresa. “These are going to stretch very far and are going to feed a lot of hungry, growing kids!”

As many know, pork is rich in nutrients that are imperative to both the physical and cognitive development of children. A 3-ounce serving of pork is an excellent source of protein, potassium and zinc, just to name a few.

After dropping off 180 pounds of pork with Teresa and center director, Staci Rankin, we ventured up the road with another load of 36 loins for the Chariton First United Methodist Church where office manager, Teresa Lahart, explained that the church uses the loins to feed larger families in need in Lucas County. “We have a small pantry that we open up on an as-needed basis for families in the area,” explained Teresa. “But we also use these loins to feed low-income families in the winter months. During the last week of the month when budgets are especially tight, we welcome anywhere from 50-70 families into our church for a nutritious, home-cooked meal.”

On today’s journey we will visit another 18 food pantries and by the end of the day will have donated nearly 40,000 pounds of pork for food insecure individuals and families in need. Follow along as we Haul Out Hunger in south central and southwest Iowa!

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