Two-year project donates 648,000 meals

67 meal-packing events.  2,300 Modern Woodmen volunteers. 648,000 meals.

Over the past two years, Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal financial services organization, has organized meal-packing events with employees and financial representatives throughout the country in an effort to address food insecurity in the United States.

In America, approximately 1 in 7 households experiences food insecurity. For American households with children, the statistic jumps to nearly 1 in 5. (USDA Economic Research Service, 2014)

"When we learned how many people in the United States experience hunger, we were stunned," says W. Kenny Massey, Modern Woodmen's president and CEO. "We knew we had to take action."

Modern Woodmen's Knock Out Hunger campaign began in 2014 at the organization's home office in Rock Island, Illinois. About 390 home office employees organized and participated in a meal-packing event, which produced 50,000 meals for River Bend Foodbank in Davenport, Iowa. The employees also collected more than 2,500 pounds of food, donated $15,609.49 to River Bend Foodbank and spent more than 965 hours volunteering for the cause.

The project was then introduced to regional directors of Modern Woodmen offices across the country during an annual conference last January. The regional directors, who packed and donated 50,000 meals with their families during the conference, were encouraged to organize meal-packing events with the financial representatives in their home states.

The response was incredible. The regional offices held 65 events. More than 1,700 financial representatives and family members volunteered, packing and donating 548,000 meals to nearly 250 community food pantries throughout the country.

"Our goal was to pack 500,000 meals this year," notes Massey. "Thanks to the overwhelming support of our employees and representatives, we knocked it out of the park."

"Our overall support and enthusiasm for this project was tremendous," he adds. "I can't wait to see what the next year will bring."

As a tax-exempt fraternal benefit society, Modern Woodmen sells life insurance, annuity and investment* products not to benefit stockholders, but to improve the quality of life of its stakeholders - members, their families and their communities. This is accomplished through social, charitable and volunteer activities. In 2014, Modern Woodmen and its members provided more than $19 million and nearly 437,000 volunteer hours for community projects nationwide.

* Securities offered through MWA Financial Services Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Modern Woodmen of America

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(Quad Cities, IA) - Brew Ha Ha, an award-winning beer festival, is a local favorite for young professionals. But it's not all about the beer. It's about giving back to the community too.

In addition to being one of the largest volunteer run festivals in the QC, it also gives funds significant projects like the Jaycees Santa project currently underway and WQPT's Imagination Station held in March.

Members of the Jaycees of the Quad Cities will present a  gift of $10,000 to the WQPT Imagination Station planning committee on Wednesday, December 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Western Illinois University-Quad Cities where the free event for families is held annually.

"Supporting local kids and families has always been at the heart of the Jaycees. This event reaches a large number of kids and is a fun way to celebrate learning and interaction," said Jennifer Kincaid, President, Jaycees of the Quad Cities.

As young professionals, the Jaycees promotes leadership, volunteerism and charity. This is just one example of the work we do in the community.

"Brew Ha Ha is a great event and a lot of hard work but it's important to remember the reason for our efforts. Supporting community projects with both our time and our treasure makes us feel really proud. Investing this time of year is an added bonus," said Neil Berthiaume, 2015 Brew Ha Ha Chair.

Join us for a brief presentation and unveiling of the Jaycee's character sponsorship. Details are below:

What:         Check Presentation

When:        Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 5:30 p.m.

Where:     Western Illinois University-Quad Cities, 3300 River Drive, Moline

Riverfront Hall Atrium. Park in 34th Street lot

About Brew HA HA:

It's a party for your taste buds! It just wouldn't be fall in the Quad-Cities without this favorite beer-tasting event held on the third Saturday in September. Sample two ounce tastings of more than 150 beers, Cabot cheeses all while enjoying live entertainment. After all, this is a PARTY for your tastebuds!

About Jaycees of the Quad Cities:

Jaycees aim to build personal and professional relationships by working together on projects to strengthen and grow the Quad-Cities community. The Quad Cities Chapter is one of the oldest chapters in the state of Iowa and has grown to include young professionals from both sides of the Mississippi River. They pride themselves on blending social opportunities with service - like planning the annual Bridal Expo and the Brew Ha Ha that raise funds for charitable initiatives. Individuals and groups interested in volunteering with Jaycees of the Quad Cities should contact info@jayceesqc.org or call (563) 484-0041.