As part of the Pork Power: Partnering to Fight Hunger in Illinois campaign, the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) has donated more than one million pounds of pork to food banks since 2008.
By donating recently to the Midwest Food Bank, the IPPA now is closer to its goal of 100,000 pounds available for families throughout Illinois. Farmers and partnering commodity groups have worked together to donate to the program year-round to help feed those in need.
This afternoon, IPPA President Cheryl Walsh was joined by commodity partners Illinois Corn and Illinois Soybean, Illinois State Football Coach Brock Spack, and Linebacker Ty Niekamp, as well as the Midwest Illinois Food Bank to donate more than 5,000 pounds of pork processed by Steidinger Foods.
This program could not be possible without our commodity partners!
“We value the partnerships we have with each one of these great associations, and we know this event largely is attainable due to their steadfast support,” said Cheryl Walsh, IPPA President. “We thank them for their generosity and, for those able to be here today, we thank you for joining us.
“This program holds deep personal significance for me and Illinois Corn, because it highlights the meaningful role we play in providing protein to families in need throughout Illinois,” said Cassie Dumoulin, Illinois Corn Director and hog farmer from Hampshire. “As a hog farmer, I know how essential corn is in providing the nutrition our livestock needs to thrive and, in turn, how those hogs help feed families in our communities. I’m especially thankful for the partnerships driving this effort, because we achieve so much more when we unite behind a shared mission.”
Towards the end of each calendar year, IPPA turns the remaining funds into ground pork and divides it among the regional food banks in the state. Steidinger Foods delivered more than 5,000 pounds of ground pork to the Midwest Food Bank, and another 420 pounds was added to the donation from the Illinois State University Redbirds “Points for Protein” campaign. Each time the Redbirds scored a home touchdown, 20 pounds of pork was donated to the Midwest Food Bank.