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Alliant Energy annual food bank fundraiser brings in record amount
Nov. 8, 2023 6:00 am
The Alliant Energy Foundation has announced it will be donating $515,000 to seven food banks across Iowa and Wisconsin. The money was raised during the foundation’s annual Drive Out Hunger fundraiser, and is the most the fundraiser has earned at once in the 17 years it has been hosted, according to a news release from the foundation.
A large golf event is hosted each September in Wisconsin as part of the annual fundraiser. Money is raised from sponsoring businesses around the country who sponsor the event and participate in the golfing activities. This year there were 69 event sponsors, with sponsorship amounts ranging from $2,500 to $35,000.
The Alliant Energy Foundation is a nonprofit organization created by the Alliant Energy Corp. and funded by Alliant Energy shareowners.
“The foundation is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where Alliant Energy employees, retirees and customers live and work,” the release states.
Melissa McCarville, senior communications partner for Alliant Energy, said the foundation hasn’t determined yet how this year’s money will be divided between the seven food banks.
“We work closely with each of our food bank partners on a variety of initiatives throughout the year. Funding from Drive Out Hunger provides additional support to their mobile food distributions, school backpack and pantry programs,” McCarville said. “We are currently working with each organization to identify program needs in 2024, which will determine the distribution amounts.”
The seven food banks serve 105 counties in Iowa and Wisconsin, where Alliant Energy provides services:
- HACAP Food Reservoir — seven counties in Iowa
- Food Bank of Iowa — 52 counties in Iowa
- Northeast Iowa Food Bank — 14 counties in Iowa
- River Bend Food Bank — five counties in Iowa
- Food Bank for the Heartland — four counties in Iowa
- Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin — 14 counties in Wisconsin
- Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin — 9 counties in Wisconsin
Kim Guardado, food reservoir director at HACAP Food Reservoir, said the money HACAP receives from the fundraiser usually goes toward supporting the food bank’s mobile pantry program by helping buy trucks, food and other supplies.
Not including this year, HACAP has received a total of $709,493 from the Drive Out Hunger fundraiser. The annual event has raised over $5.9 million for all the food banks Alliant donates to in the 17 years it has been hosted, the news release states.
“Alliant has just been a great partner with us … They’re just very committed to food insecurity and helping us get what we need to do what we need to do,” Guardado said. “They look at what each food bank has going on and make decisions about the funding distributions.”
Comments: (319) 398-8328; emily.andersen@thegazette.com
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