Modern Woodmen sponsors second Mobile Food Pantry as part of the Knock Out Hunger Campaign 

On Saturday, July 12 more than 60 Modern Woodmen of America employees and their family members will host a Mobile Food Pantry, organized by River Bend Foodbank. Mobile Food Pantries are scheduled in areas where the need for food assistance is the greatest. The volunteer event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Goose Creek Park (259 W. 61 Street, Davenport). Media coverage of the event is welcomed and appreciated.

Each Mobile Food Pantry provides approximately 10,000 meals and feeds hundreds of families in the Quad City community. All food is distributed in a farmer's market style of distribution.

"One Mobile Food Pantry distribution costs approximately $1,500 to $2,000 to hold, but that's just operational expenses. That number doesn't cover the cost of food, which has a retail value of $10,000 to $15,000. Our goal is to hold 50 Mobile Food Pantry distributions each year. To have Modern Woodmen sponsor this event and contribute to the cost of the food and operations means more families in the Quad Cities will have meals this summer," said River Bend Foodbank marketing director Caren Laughlin.

Modern Woodmen, a fraternal financial services organization based out of Rock Island, Illinois, will sponsor the Mobile Food pantry. Modern Woodmen employees will staff the event by unloading trucks, distributing food and offering assistance to load cars. This is the second Mobile Food Pantry sponsored by Modern Woodmen and is part of the summer-long campaign to Knock Out Hunger.

Knock Out Hunger campaign

This year, Modern Woodmen has selected River Bend Foodbank to support through its Knock Out Hunger campaign. Modern Woodmen employees and members will donate time, money and food to the food distribution center throughout the summer.

There are multiple mobile food pantry events scheduled, backpack programs, a "Meals from the Heartland" packing event, and a communitywide 5k run/walk. Each event will support the food bank.

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 Modern Woodmen Night or the effort to support River Bend Foodbank, contact Amber O'Brien at 309-793-5660 (office), 309-798-6704 (cell) or visit modern-woodmen.org.

Thanksgiving in July to collect non-perishable food items to benefit three Bettendorf pantries

Bettendorf, IA (June 16th, 2014) - Thanksgiving in July, a community-wide food drive seeks to collect non-perishable food items for three Bettendorf area pantries - the Bettendorf Community Center, First Baptist Church and St. James Food Pantry. The drive will be held Monday, July 14 through Saturday, July 19.

"Food pantries spend up to $1,500 each month on purchasing perishable and non-perishable food items," said Jeff Herzberg, Founding Member. "Our goal is to collect enough non-perishable food items to allow the pantries to use those funds for milk, eggs and other high protein, good-for-you products on a regular basis to their visitors."

• Items in demand include canned fruit, vegetables, meat (tuna, chicken, Spam), peanut butter, rice, pasta/pasta sauce, Macaroni & Cheese, juice boxes, boxed meals and soups.

"While the beneficiaries of this year's food drive are the citizens residing in the City of Bettendorf, we hope to expand our scope and help more pantries throughout the Quad-City area in the future," said Herzberg.

Ways the Bettendorf community can support Thanksgiving in July:

• Businesses are encouraged to hold a non-perishable food drive.

• Athletic clubs, dance troops and nonprofit or civic organizations can sponsor a food drive through ball games, dances, raffles or other community events

• Individual donations can be made at Hy-Vee on Devils Glen or Fareway on Belmont, in Bettendorf.

• Personal checks payable to "Thanksgiving in July" can be sent or delivered to, Thanksgiving in July - Bettendorf, Northwest Bank, 2550 Middle Rd. Bettendorf, IA 52722.

Food items will be collected on Saturday, July 19 from 10 am to 2 pm at Faye's Field parking lot - near the Family Museum, Bettendorf. Volunteers will load the food, weigh it and deliver items to the food pantries in the City of Bettendorf.

To learn more about Thanksgiving in July, contact Jeff Herzberg by calling 563 343 9737 or emailing jherzberg@pfgc.com.

About Thanksgiving in July

Locally in Scott County, 19.6% or approximately 8000 children under the age of 18 are faced with food insecurity -- a need that's even greater during the summer months when children are out of school. Local food pantries see a significant amount of their contributions during the November and December months. Our local pantries have demand all year long and the summer months are an especially high period of demand for their services. Thanksgiving in July is an opportunity for the citizens of Bettendorf to provide support to the food pantries in Bettendorf.

MONTICELLO, IOWA. -The Camp Courageous Board of Directors announced the election of the following officers and members for the 2014-2015 term. The new President of the Board of Directors is Margo Ahrendsen of Oxford Junction, IA.  Margo has been involved with Camp Courageous for nearly 25-years as an advocate and also as a parent of two campers.  Margo, and her husband, Monte, farm in the Oxford Junction area and she is active in a variety of organizations.

• Officers:

President: Margo Ahrendsen, Farmer, Camper Parent, and Advocate, Oxford Junction, IA

President-Elect: Jim Zimmerman, Principal Sacred Heart, Monticello, IA

Secretary: Mary Van Houten, Banquet Manager, Kirkwood Hotel, Cedar Rapids IA

Treasurer: Randy Faulkner, Pres. Hawkeye Dry Ice, Cedar Rapids, IA

• Those re-elected to a three-year term included:

Margo Ahrendsen, Farmer, Camper Parent, and Advocate, Oxford Junction, IA

Aaron Cook, Farmer, Winthrop, IA

Mary Johnson, Retired, Rockwell, Marion, IA

Jim Klinger, Retired, Cedar Memorial Funeral Homes, Cedar Rapids, IA

Trish Ohlson, GE Capital, Cedar Rapids, IA

Steve Supple, Farmer, Cascade, IA

Mary Van Houten, Banquet Manager, Kirkwood Hotel, Cedar Rapids IA

Dan Vorhies, Newton Sales, Monticello, IA

Chris Wiese, VP Sales LimoLink, Cedar Rapids, IA

• Other board members include :

Dr. John Bailey, Retired Medical Doctor, Anamosa, IA

Steve Carter, Branch Manager, Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group, Cedar Rapids, IA

Jim Foels, Farmer, Brooklyn, IA

Brian Gay, Retired Executive Director, Midwest Free Community Papers, Coralville, IA

Larry Greco, Retired Cedar Rapids Police Department, Solon, IA

Merlin Hulse, Retired Farmer, Tipton, IA

Bill Northup, Vice President for Advancement at Central College at Pella, , Des Moines, IA

Kay Pitlik, Retired Special Educator/Advocate/ Cedar Rapids, IA

Bob Thoeni, Retired owner of Bob's Pioneer Seed, Monticello, IA

Mag Welter, Retired Special Educator, Monticello, IA

Winnie Williams, of Monticello, Retired Fawn Creek Homes, Anamoso, IA

NAMI SEEKS WALK TEAM CAPTAINS FOR KICK-OFF LUNCHEON

July 30 Event Features Rock Island and Scott County Sheriffs

DAVENPORT, Iowa (June 23, 2014) - the Greater Mississippi Valley affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will hold a kick-off luncheon for NAMIWalk, a signature fundraising event to support free education and support programs for families living with mental illness. Honorary walk chairs Rock Island County Sheriff Jeff Boyd and Scott County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Thomas Gibbs will be the featured speakers.

The July 30 luncheon is free to anyone interested in organizing a walk team or learning more about NAMI.  The event will be held at Modern Woodmen Park stadium, Davenport, with doors opening at 11:30 a.m. The program begins at noon. Register for the luncheon by July 18 at NAMIWalksGMV@gmail.com or 563-322-8870. The luncheon is sponsored by Robert Young Center and UnityPoint Health-Trinity.

In its 11th year locally, NAMIWalk will be held Saturday, September 13, 2014, at Centennial Park in Davenport. More than 1,200 persons are expected to attend. Additional information is available at www.namiwalks.org/greatermississippivalley.

About NAMI Greater Mississippi Valley

One in 10 children and one in four adults experience a mental health disorder in any given year. Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by the age of 14. NAMI Greater Mississippi Valley is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. This grassroots organization complements the work of mental health professionals by providing support, education and advocacy to individuals and families living with mental illness. NAMI works cooperatively through the Quad Cities Community Mental Health Initiative, serving residents in Muscatine, Clinton, Scott Counties in Iowa and Mercer, Henry, Rock Island Counties in Illinois.