Thank You To All of Those Who Serve Our Country
posted on Friday, March 16, 2018
“I am literally moved to tears every year when I receive these coupons,” said Wendy, a member of the Iowa National Guard. “It’s just so kind that a company truly appreciates the sacrifices of our military families. Thank you for your support.”
It seems which each passing day, the mailbox at Iowa Select Farms is filled with more thank you notes from servicemen and women, just like the one from Wendy above. While short and sweet, each note shares a unique story of appreciation, family-togetherness and the impact our coupons are making in the lives of deserving Iowans.
The cards are a result of the nearly 15,000 Pork Care Packages that the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation and Iowa Select Farms sent to all units of the Iowa Army National Guard, Iowa Air National Guard, US Army Reserve, US Naval Reserve and US Marine Corps Reserve. Pork Care Packages were also delivered to the Iowa National Guard’s Survivorship Outreach Services that were then delivered to 600 Iowa Gold Star families of fallen soldiers.
Each Pork Care Package included $40 worth of coupons for fresh pork products like ribs, bacon, loin and ground pork. New this year, the packages also had three packets of pork seasoning to help in the preparation of hearty, nutritious (and delicious!) meals.
“As a Gold Star Mother, I truly appreciate your kindness and support of our active duty, Veterans and their families,” said Lisa of Galva, Iowa. “With these coupons, we will be hosting a BBQ for Iowa parents that have lost their military children.”
Zac Johannsen, who recently returned from a 6-month deployment, said the Pork Care Package was the first thing he saw on his desk when he came home. “I’m looking forward to getting my family together now that the weather is getting nicer for a BBQ,” said Johannsen. “I can’t say thank you enough for thinking of military families this way.”
We read every single thank you card (that’s right – all 1,278 of them!) and find great joy in hearing personal stories about how the Pork Care Packages have benefited local military servicemen, women and their families. Hats off to the moms and dads who stretched the pork into two weeks’ worth of meals, the families who’ve thrown parties for their friends and neighbors and the families who used the Pork Care Packages to pay it forward.
“We are planning on having a dinner for friends that don’t have family around or their spouse is deployed,” said Sabrina McIntosh of the 132nd Wing Iowa Air National Guard. “This is my third year of receiving these coupons and I love being able to share this gift with deserving family and friends.”
From Armed Service members and their spouses to their mothers, fathers and friends, we would like to extend a thank you to everyone that took the time to send us a handwritten message of gratitude after receiving a Pork Care Package. We wholeheartedly believe that food brings loved ones together and we delivered these packages in hopes of providing our Marines, Sailors, Airmen and Soldiers an opportunity for family togetherness.
“This is a reminder that “service” goes well beyond the armed forces,” said the Williams family. “Some serve in uniform, others like the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation, serve with generosity. Thank you so much.”
Thank you again to everyone who sent a note in and more importantly, thank you for your service and dedication to our country!
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