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NORTHEAST IOWA FOOD BANK SEARCHES FOR LOCAL AREA YOUTH TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONA’S BIGGEST YOUTH-CENTERED FUNDRAISER: 2018 SOUPER BOWL OF CARING

WATERLOO, Iowa (1-23-18)– The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is calling on all northeast Iowa youth, community groups and churches to get involved during this year’s Souper Bowl of Caring. The idea of it is simple: host a food or fund drive, or collect donations in person or online through Facebook Fundraisers, to commemorate those going hungry during one of the most celebrated days of entertainment happens on February 5th. They are calling on everyone to try and raise $52: one dollar for every year that the big game has been in existence.

By visiting participants are invited to collect food and funds by whatever means works best for them, but online fundraisers are encouraged. The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is asking any youth or organization serving youth to participate, to remember over 14,000 northeast Iowa children who are likely to be experiencing hunger on the very day they will be hosting their collections.

“The Souper Bowl of Caring event is an opportunity for northeast Iowa youth to mobilize to help fight hunger in their own community.” said Barb Prather, Executive Director of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. With so many of our youth going hungry in northeast Iowa, this event is a way to provide direction and a goal for children who want to give back, in a way that could benefit children they might know, but don’t know that they’re going hungry.”

The event is open to the public. Participants are asked to sign up at For questions regarding the event, contact Heather at .

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank provides nutritious food and grocery products to about 200 nonprofit organizations and programs who assist the hungry and to individuals who are in need of food assistance to sustain life. Last year, the Food Bank distributed more than 6 million pounds of food, which provided over 5 million meals within a 16-county service area.

The Food Bank provides eight programs that serve the Community: Member Agency Distribution, Cedar Valley Food Pantry, the BackPack Program, Kids Cafe, Elderly Nutrition, Mobile Food Pantries, Summer Feeding and a Community Garden. Encompassing all eight of these programs is a commitment to nutrition education. The Food Bank is a member of the Iowa Food Bank Association and Feeding America. For more information, visit