On Saturday, Sept. 20, more than 300 runners and walkers participated in Modern Woodmen of America's Race to Knock Out Hunger, a 5K charity run/walk to support River Bend Foodbank. In a pre-race ceremony, Modern Woodmen presented River Bend Foodbank with a check for $15,609.49. The donation includes proceeds from participant registration, additional donations and money donated by employees during Modern Woodmen's Knock Out Hunger campaign.
Modern Woodmen, a fraternal financial services organization, planned the Race to Knock Out Hunger to serve as the grand finale of its Knock Out Hunger campaign to support River Bend Foodbank.
"I am extremely proud of the way Modern Woodmen employees and the community took the initiative to support River Bend Foodbank," said President and CEO Kenny Massey. "This is what being 'Fraternal' is all about."
Modern Woodmen volunteers spent over 865 volunteer hours participating in the summer-long campaign to fight local hunger.
"What Modern Woodman has done to support the Foodbank's mission through the Knock Out Hunger Campaign is fantastic. We know that 40 percent of our food ends up on the plate of a hungry child and without the help of wonderful community partners like Modern Woodmen, we could not do what we do." says Tom Laughlin, executive director of River Bend Foodbank.
About the Knock Out Hunger campaign
In 2014, Modern Woodmen selected River Bend Foodbank to support through a Knock Out Hunger campaign. Modern Woodmen employees and members donated time, money and food to the food distribution center.
Some of the efforts included sponsoring multiple mobile food pantry events, a home office food drive and farmer's market and sponsoring backpack programs for local children. In August, Modern Woodmen employees packaged 50,000 meals for hungry families in the Quad Cities in just one day!
River Bend Foodbank is the largest hunger relief organization in the Quad Cities and surrounding communities, distributing more than 8 million pounds of food annually to feed the hungry. The Foodbank serves more than 10,000 individuals every week through its distribution network of 300 charitable feeding programs in a 22-county service area in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.
Founded in 1883, Modern Woodmen of America touches lives and secures futures. The fraternal financial services organization offers financial services and fraternal member benefits to individuals and families throughout the United States.
For more information about the Knock Out Hunger campaign or the effort to support River Bend Foodbank, contact Amber O'Brien at 309-793-5660 or visit modern-woodmen.org.
