Freedom From Hunger Breakfast kicks off food drive

Golden brown pancakes filled plates on the concourse of a baseball stadium to kick off a summer food drive this morning.

The eighth-annual Freedom from Hunger food drive runs through August. About 130 people got it started Monday morning by attending the pancake breakfast at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Many of them donated canned food.

Organizers set the food drive goal at 80,000 pounds this year. Last year, 58 area businesses and organizations helped collect 79,896 pounds. It was then distributed to 27 food-assistance programs.

Ann Hearn, co-chairwoman for the food drive, said food at the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP) food reservoir in Hiawatha is being distributed just as quickly as it's coming in. About 3,400 households in Linn County ask for emergency food assistance each month.

“It's an important food drive because it's in between some of the other food drives,” Hearn said. “It helps to fill a gap in the summer when there is a lot more need, especially on the part of children who are no longer getting the free and reduced lunches.”

Hearn said the food collected Monday would to programs that help veterans, in honor of Memorial Day. Food will also be collected at Kernels games June 17-19 and during the Freedom Festival, she said.

According to the HACAP website, some of the most-needed items are: beef stew, tuna, macaroni and cheese, chili with meat, peanut butter, canned fruit, pasta, instant potatoes and soup.

Anyone interested in donating as an individual, business or group can call HACAP at (319) 393-7811.