DES MOINES, IA (08/09/2013)(readMedia)-- On Opening Day, August 8, the Iowa State Fair hosted a one-day meal packaging event in partnership with Meals from the Heartland, the Iowa Soybean Association, the Iowa Food and Family Project and GROWMARK. Approximately 1,500 volunteers packaged 255,096 meals to help alleviate life-threatening hunger around the world exceeding their goal by over 5,000 meals. The event was funded in part by the Soybean Check-off.
The event was part of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions' "Dream Big" food drive hosted by fairs throughout the world. Together, participants hope to collect 20 million pounds of food - enough to fill the daily food needs of nearly six million people.
Meals from the Heartland is a non-profit organization committed to providing meals for food-insecure families around the world. Since their initial launch in 2008, the organization has packaged more than 31 million meals which have been distributed locally through Iowa food pantry partners as well as shipped throughout the world.
"Nothing Compares" to the 2013 Iowa State Fair, August 8-18. The Fairgrounds are located at East 30th and East University Avenue, just 10 minutes east of downtown Des Moines, and are open 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day of the Fair. Exhibit hours may vary. For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit iowastatefair.org.
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