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MY CONCERN AND MY MY AIM WOULD BE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AT A LEVEL THAT IS NECESSARY. YOU KNOW, OUR VISION IS A HUNGER FREE IOWA, AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR. COMING UP ON ����vlog EIGHT NEWS, CLOSE UP, THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA HAS A NEW LEADER, BUT SHE’S NOT NEW TO THE ORGANIZATION. HOW TAMI NIELSON’S EXPERIENCE HAS HELPED SHAPE HER VISION FOR THE FUTURE, AND WHY THE NEED IS GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE, AND HOW STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES CAN FIND SUPPORT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS IS ����vlog EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR ����vlog EIGHT NEWS CLOSE UP. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER. WELL, IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT THE SCHOOL YEAR IS ALREADY HERE. IT STARTS TOMORROW FOR MOST IOWA STUDENTS. AND IT’S AN EXCITING TIME OF LEARNING NEW THINGS, REUNITING WITH FRIENDS, AND GETTING INVOLVED IN NEW ACTIVITIES. A NORMAL SCHOOL DAY USUALLY MEANS EVERY STUDENT HAS ACCESS TO A HEALTHY BREAKFAST AND LUNCH. BUT BEHIND THE SCENES, THERE ARE A LOT OF IOWA STUDENTS FACING HUNGER AT HOME. ACCORDING TO THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, 42% OF IOWA STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED LUNCHES. THERE CAN BE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY FOR MANY CHILDREN, AND KNOWING WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM. IN THE EVENING, ON WEEKENDS, DURING BREAKS AND WHEN SCHOOL IS UNEXPECTEDLY CANCELED, THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN ADDRESSING CHILDHOOD HUNGER. IT HELPS FAMILIES THROUGH ITS SCHOOL PANTRY PROGRAM AND ITS BACKPACK PROGRAM. BOTH INITIATIVES PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, HELPING TO BRIDGE THE GAP DURING THOSE TIMES THAT MEALS AREN’T READILY AVAILABLE. THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA ALSO PARTNERS WITH SCHOOLS TO ESTABLISH ONSITE FOOD PANTRIES. THIS CREATES A CONVENIENT AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES TO ACCESS FOOD. THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA IS COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE NO IOWAN GOES HUNGRY. THE ORGANIZATION GATHERS AND DISTRIBUTES MORE THAN 2.5 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD EACH MONTH TO 700 PARTNERS ACROSS 55 IOWA COUNTIES, AND THAT IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING. AND AT THE HELM OF IT ALL IS A NEW CEO AND PRESIDENT. I GOT THE CHANCE TO SIT DOWN WITH TAMI NEILSON TO HEAR ABOUT HER VISION FOR THE FUTURE AND THE EXPERIENCE SHE’S LEANING ON TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION FORWARD. WELL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR SITTING DOWN AND MAKING TIME TO CHAT WITH US. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, I APPRECIATE THAT. WELL, YOU HAVE BEEN WITH THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA FOR NEARLY A DECADE. HOW DOES IT FEEL TO NOW LEAD THE ORGANIZATION OFFICIALLY AS THE PERMANENT NEW CEO? WELL, IT’S A HUGE PRIVILEGE AND HONOR. I JUST COULDN’T BE HAPPIER TO BE ABLE TO BE IN THIS POSITION. I’VE LOVED EVERY ROLE I’VE HAD HERE VERY ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE BEGINNING. AND SO I EXPECT THAT THE CEO ROLE WILL BE NO DIFFERENT. INITIALLY, I HAD LOVED MY COO ROLE SO MUCH THAT THE CEO ROLE WASN’T ON MY RADAR. BUT AS TIME WENT BY AND DOING THAT AS AN INTERIM, I THOUGHT, MY GOODNESS, I COULD LOVE THIS TOO. SO HERE WE ARE. YEAH. AND YOU HAVE REALLY SERVED IN EVERY ROLE FROM REGIONAL COORDINATOR TO COO. HOW HAVE ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES SHAPED YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE? WELL, IT GIVES ME A GREAT, YOU KNOW, WELL-ROUNDED EXPERIENCE IN EACH AND EVERY AREA OF THE FOOD BANK. IT’S SUCH A DIFFERENT WORLD IN FOOD BANKING THAT IT’S GREAT THAT I’VE ACTUALLY HAD EXPERIENCE DOING DIFFERENT PARTS OF IT. I REALLY UNDERSTAND THINGS FROM THE PARTNER PERSPECTIVE ALSO. THAT WAS MY FIRST ROLE HERE, AND REALLY MY FIRST LOVE IS THOSE PARTNERS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND HANDING FOOD TO FOLKS WHO NEED IT. AND SO UNDERSTANDING THINGS FROM AN INTERNAL PERSPECTIVE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO DELIVERY ROUTES AND METRICS AND EFFICIENCIES, ALL OF THOSE PIECES, AND THEN HOW IT AFFECTS THE USER ON THE END BEING OUR PARTNER, AND THEN THE FINAL BEING THE NEIGHBOR IN NEED WHO RECEIVES THOSE SERVICES, KIND OF BEING ABLE TO KNOW ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PIECES IN THE PROCESS. YES, IT’S A BIG PUZZLE WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIECES, AND DYNAMICS CAN CHANGE, AND BEING ABLE TO KIND OF EBB AND FLOW THROUGH THOSE SPACES AND HAVING KIND OF A FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WILL REALLY CONTINUE TO BE BENEFICIAL IN THIS ROLE TOO. I THINK SOMETIMES THERE ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT FOOD INSECURITY, ABOUT THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT UTILIZE FOOD BANKS. HOW DOES YOUR PAST ROLES AND BEING ABLE TO MEET AND KNOW THE NEIGHBORS IN NEED, HOW WILL THAT INFLUENCE NOW BEING AT THE TOP OF THE FOOD BANK IN YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE? WELL, IT’LL HELP US ADVOCATE FOR THOSE YOU KNOW WHO DO RECEIVE THOSE SERVICES. WE KNOW IT’S A LOT OF FOLKS WHO ARE THE WORKING POOR. THEY’RE HOLDING 1 OR 2 JOBS. THEY’RE JUST NOT MAKING A WAGE THAT THEY CAN MAKE ENDS MEET. AND WE KNOW IT’S A LOT OF SENIORS AND A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, VETERANS, FOLKS WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, ISSUES THAT MEDICAL ISSUES THAT MAKE IT SO THAT THEY’RE UNABLE TO WORK. AND SO WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF STEREOTYPES AROUND FOLKS WHO RECEIVE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT SERVICES. AND IN OUR CASE, IT’S JUST NOT WHAT WE SEE. AND SO GETTING THAT WORD OUT OF THERE, OUT THERE AND DOING SOME MYTH BUSTING THAT FOLKS ARE WORKING AND THEY’RE WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD. THERE ARE SOME BARRIERS, YOU KNOW, FOLKS JUST AREN’T MAKING ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, ONE FLAT TIRE CAN CAN TAKE A BUDGET COMPLETELY OUT OF COMMISSION WHERE THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE SOME HELP. AND BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT TO THEM IS, YOU KNOW, IT’S A IT’S A GREAT THING THAT WE CAN DO FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA HAS REALLY GROWN AND CHANGED A LOT OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS. AS YOU STEP INTO THIS ROLE, WHAT’S YOUR VISION FOR MOVING THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA FORWARD? WHAT’S THE TOP THING THAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH RIGHT NOW? WELL, WE’RE IN A GREAT PLACE. THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE AND A LOT OF, YOU KNOW. TRANSITION, TRANSITION OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME THAT HAVE BUILT US INTO WHAT WE ARE TODAY. WE’RE IN A GREAT PLACE TO CONTINUE TO HELP FOLKS AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY NEED. THERE’S NOTHING REALLY TO FIX RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SUCH A WONDERFUL FOUNDATION THAT WE’VE BUILT UP OVER THESE PAST YEARS. BUT THE LANDSCAPE IS CHANGING. THAT’S MY BIG CONCERN, IS THAT CHANGING LANDSCAPE RIGHT NOW, AS WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC CONCERNS AND ALL THE ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD RIGHT NOW THAT REALLY DO AFFECT FOLKS LIVING IN POVERTY. SO MY CONCERN AND MY, MY AIM WOULD BE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE AT A LEVEL THAT IS NECESSARY. YOU KNOW, OUR VISION IS A HUNGER FREE IOWA, AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR. EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE HERE WOULD LOVE NOTHING BETTER THAN FOR US TO PUT OURSELVES OUT OF BUSINESS. WE WORK TOWARD THAT EVERY DAY, BUT IT’S BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT. THE NEED IS RISING AT A TIME WHEN RESOURCES ARE DECLINING. WE SEE IT OURSELVES. WHEN WE GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, JUST THE COST OF FOOD AND OTHER NECESSITIES TO LIVE. THOSE ARE SKYROCKETING AT A TIME WHERE WAGES AREN’T KEEPING UP. WHEN WE COME BACK, HOW THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA HAS ADJUSTED TO THE NEEDS OF HUNGRY IOWANS SINCE THE PANDEMIC, AND WHAT THE CONTINUED INFLATION OF GROCERY PRICES MEANS FOR THE ORGANIZATION. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. WELL, WE ALL KNOW JUST HOW EXPENSIVE THINGS HAVE GOTTEN AT THE GROCERY STORE. THE LATEST CONSUMER PRICE INDEX SHOWS GROCERY PRICES IN JULY WENT UP MORE THAN 2% COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, AND FOOD BANK OF IOWA CEO TAMI NEILSON EXPLAINS WHAT THAT MEANS FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT DISTRIBUTES MILLIONS OF POUNDS OF FOOD EVERY MONTH. FOOD INSECURITY REMAINS A MAJOR ISSUE IN THE COUNTRY AND IN OUR STATE. WHAT’S THE MOST URGENT NEED THAT YOU SEE COMMUNITIES FACING IN THE 55 DIFFERENT COUNTIES THAT THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA SERVES? WELL, JUST MORE FOOD. THE MOST URGENT NEED. AND IT’S THAT WAY FROM EVERY COUNTY THAT WE SERVE. AND I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY, EVERY COUNTY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES THROUGH OUR FEEDING AMERICA, YOU KNOW, MEMBERSHIP, WE’RE LEARNING MORE ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT’S HAPPENING ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE’RE ALL FACING A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AND A LOT, LOT MORE PEOPLE ARE ACCESSING RESOURCES, AND THEY JUST NEED MORE AND THEY NEED IT CONSISTENTLY. IT USED TO BE MORE OF A SUPPLEMENTAL NEED FOR FOLKS TO VISIT A PANTRY, MAYBE HERE AND THERE WHEN THINGS WERE TIGHT. NOW IT’S IT’S MONTHLY AND MAYBE THEY’RE SEEING 2 OR 3 PANTRIES TO TRY TO GET WHAT THEY NEED. AND SO I THINK THAT THE NEED THAT I SEE ACROSS ALL 55 COUNTIES IS JUST THE NEED FOR MORE FOOD. I KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES DURING THE PANDEMIC. IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA IN 2022 AND BEYOND, THE INFLATION REALLY DROVE UP THE NEED FOR FOOD. HAVE YOU SEEN JUST A CONTINUAL INCREASE IN THAT NEED, OR HAS THERE BEEN ANY PLATEAUING? THERE IS A CONTINUAL INCREASE, REALLY FROM THAT. APRIL 2022, WHEN THOSE FEDERAL POVERTY, POVERTY PREVENTION. PROGRAMS WERE REVERTED BACK TO PRE-COVID. ALLOCATIONS, IT REALLY MADE A HUGE CHANGE. IT WAS IT WAS OVERNIGHT, OUR PANTRY STARTED SEEING MORE AND MORE FOLKS ACCESSING SERVICES. AND THAT HAS CONTINUED TO CHANGE WHERE THOSE NEEDS GO UP EVERY MONTH. AND THERE’S JUST NO CEILING IN SIGHT. WE DON’T, YOU KNOW, AS WE TRY TO LOOK DOWN THE ROAD AND WE’RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND LOOKING AT WHAT WE CAN FORESEE, IT BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT AS TIME GOES BY. RIGHT NOW, WE’RE SPENDING PER MONTH ON WHAT WE SPENT ON FOOD THE ENTIRE YEAR OF 2019, PER MONTH. WE ARE SPENDING MORE ON FOOD THAN WE DID THE ENTIRE YEAR OF 2019. IT’S VERY DIFFICULT IN THIS CLIMATE. AS YOU KNOW, FEDERAL CUTS ARE HAPPENING TOO. AND SO WE’RE GETTING LESS USDA FOOD. SO AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED MORE, WE’RE GETTING LESS. THERE’S BEEN SOME STATE CHANGES TOO, AS WELL TO FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. THE GOVERNOR JUST SIGNED A NEW LAW THAT CHANGES WHAT PEOPLE CAN BUY WITH THEIR SNAP BENEFITS. FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, HOW DO YOU SEE THAT IMPACTING IOWANS THAT UTILIZE FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS? AND DOES THAT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE FOR THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA? WELL, IT CERTAINLY LIMITS CHOICE. I KNOW WHAT MY FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO EAT, AND I CAN CHOOSE THAT AT THE GROCERY STORE. IT ELIMINATES THAT SAME CHOICE FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE USING SNAP BENEFITS. YOU KNOW, THERE’S THERE’S KIND OF A MYTH THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BUY MORE JUNK FOOD OR JUST AREN’T EATING AS HEALTHILY AS THEY POSSIBLY COULD WHEN THEY USE SNAP BENEFITS. AND SOME OF THAT IS BUILT ON THE NEED TO GET AS MUCH FOOD AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN FOR THE DOLLARS THAT YOU HAVE ON YOUR SNAP BENEFIT CARD. AND OFTENTIMES THEY ARE THE THE HIGH CALORIE, HIGH CARB, YOU KNOW, DENSE FOODS THAT DON’T HAVE AS MUCH NUTRITION. BUT THOSE HIGHER NUTRITIONALLY VALUABLE FOODS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE. AND SO THEY’RE TRYING TO STRETCH WHAT THEY’VE GOT, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THEY CAN GO, SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE ALL MEALS FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILY. AND SO SOMETIMES IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE THINGS THAT AREN’T AS HEALTHY. SO IT COULD MEAN LESS MEALS AVAILABLE TO FOLKS USING SNAP BENEFITS. IT COULD MEAN THAT THEY’RE ACCESSING SOME OF OUR PANTRIES. BECAUSE OF THAT. AND MAYBE SOME OF THEM DO ALREADY. OR MAYBE IT’S THE FIRST TIME THEY’LL ACCESS THAT. WE KNOW FROM PANTRY VISITS AND TALKING WITH NEIGHBORS IN NEED, THEY REALLY DO WANT TO FEED THEIR FAMILY WITH THE HIGHEST NUTRITIONALLY VALUABLE FOOD THAT THEY CAN. THEY WANT THE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND THE PROTEIN, THE THE FRESH DAIRY. BUT THOSE ITEMS ARE COST PROHIBITIVE. AND SO SOMETIMES THAT’S A DECISION THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE. ANOTHER TOUGH DECISION THAT SOMEBODY LIVING IN POVERTY HAS TO MAKE. SO. THE CUTS AND SNAP AND THE CHANGES IN SNAP WILL ABSOLUTELY AFFECT THE NUMBER OF FOLKS THAT WE SEE, YOU KNOW, VISITING OUR PANTRY PARTNERS. NEXT, A HUGE MISSION TAKES AN EVEN BIGGER VISION. WHAT TAMI NEILSON SAYS DRIVES HER TO LEAD THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA AND INSPIRES HER STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. AT THE END OF 2024, MICHELLE BURR OAK STEPPED DOWN AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA AFTER LEADING THE ORGANIZATION FOR NINE YEARS AFTER BOOKS. RETIREMENT TAMI NEILSON SERVED AS INTERIM CEO, AND IN JUNE SHE WAS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO OFFICIALLY STEP INTO THE ROLE. I SAT DOWN WITH NIELSEN AS SHE SHARED HER VISION FOR THE FUTURE AND HOW SHE’S INSPIRED EVERY DAY BY THE PEOPLE SHE WORKS WITH. I WANT TO TURN BACK TO MORE. YOUR OVERALL VISION FOR THIS ORGANIZATION AND JUST YOU PERSONALLY. YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE BEING HUNGER FIGHTERS. WHAT DOES THAT MISSION MEAN TO YOU AND WHY IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THAT DRIVES YOU TO, TO BE A PART OF THIS ORGANIZATION? WELL, I, I CAME HERE JUST STRICTLY FOR THE MISSION. I THINK THAT EVERYBODY DESERVES FOOD. IT’S A BASIC NEED. IT SHOULDN’T BE SOMETHING THAT IS A PRIVILEGE. I THINK THAT YOU JUST. EVERYBODY DESERVES FOOD. I GREW UP ABOUT FIVE, SIX MINUTES EAST OF WHERE WE’RE SITTING RIGHT NOW. AND EVEN AS A KID IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THIS WAS A LONG TIME AGO. BUT KIDS WHO WERE ON FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH HAD A DIFFERENT COLOR LUNCH TICKET. YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT IT’S IT’S MUCH MORE DISCREET NOW, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. BUT BACK THEN, YOU KNEW WHO THE KIDS WHO WERE GROWING UP. I ALWAYS HAD PLENTY. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE. BUT YOU KNEW THE CHILDREN WHO DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH FOOD TO EAT. EVEN AS A KID, I RECOGNIZED THAT I CAN STILL THINK OF A BOY IN FIFTH GRADE WHO CAME TO TO SCHOOL STARVING EVERY MONDAY MORNING, YOU KNOW, AND THE TEACHER PULLS SOMETHING OUT OF HIS DESK DRAWER AND, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING. AND SO I RECOGNIZE THAT AS A YOUNG AGE AND JUST FELT DRIVEN TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AND YOU SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE TEAM, EVERYBODY IS REALLY DRIVEN TO HELP OTHERS AND FEELS PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. I WAS TALKING TO A COUPLE OF EMPLOYEES YESTERDAY AT SEPARATE TIMES, ACTUALLY THREE SEPARATE EMPLOYEES WHO SAID, I FEEL SO BLESSED TO WORK HERE, AND YOU JUST HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE PEOPLE FEEL SO GOOD ABOUT BEING ABLE TO HELP SOMEBODY. AND SO THAT’S WHY WE’RE A VERY TIGHT AND VERY EFFICIENT STAFF. BUT THE BUSIEST PERSON IN THE BUILDING WILL ASK YOU, HOW CAN I HELP YOU? AND THAT GOES AROUND, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE BOARD IN EVERY DEPARTMENT, IF YOU WANT TO SAY SO. WE ARE A TEAM. WE ARE FOCUSED ON FIGHTING HUNGER AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, KIDS AND SENIORS AND VETERANS AND FAMILIES ALL GET ENOUGH TO EAT. AND WE DO HAVE A VERY NUTRITIONALLY, VERY HIGH, NUTRITIONALLY BALANCED INVENTORY FOR OUR PARTNERS. AND WE KNOW THAT THAT GOOD FOOD MEANS GOOD HEALTH. AND SO WE WOULD LIKE EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO GOOD FOOD AND GOOD HEALTH. HOW DO YOU KEEP THE MORALE OF THE STAFF AT THE IN THE PLACE OF POSITIVITY THAT IT IS RIGHT NOW, WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THE ORGANIZATION RUNS EFFICIENTLY AND CONTINUES TO DO THE GOOD WORK THAT IT’S BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. WELL, AND AT ITS CORE, IT IS IT IS KIND OF IT’S A DEPRESSING ISSUE. I MEAN, IT JUST REALLY IS. AND I THINK THAT’S KIND OF YOUR QUESTION TOO, IS AS WE’RE ALL WORKING TOWARD THIS AND IT MIGHT SEEM. LIKE IT’S A NEVER ENDING BATTLE, YOU KNOW, DURING COVID, WE ALL STAYED HERE. WE DIDN’T WORK FROM HOME, EVEN THOSE OF US WITH THE CAPACITY TO DO SO. WE ALL KEPT WE STAYED HERE AND WE QUARANTINED TOGETHER. AND I THOUGHT, I MEAN, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, HOW FORTUNATE I WAS THAT OUTSIDE OF MY FAMILY, THE ONLY PEOPLE I SAW FOR MONTHS WERE MY COWORKERS. BUT THEY’RE SUCH WONDERFUL PEOPLE THAT I WAS. IT WAS WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO SPEND THAT TIME WITH THEM. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T FEEL LIKE THAT ABOUT THEIR COWORKERS, SO WE HAVE A WONDERFUL MORALE HERE BECAUSE WE’RE ALL WORKING TOWARD THE SAME THING, AND WE ALL BELIEVE IN THAT SO MUCH. WE’RE ALL REAL TIRED. YOU KNOW, WE GET WE GO HOME AND WE KNOW WE DID A GOOD DAY’S WORK. BUT KNOWING THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON HERE WILL GIVE 110% AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT OF THE DAY IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF US, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US WITH EXPERIENCE TO KNOW THAT THAT’S NOT HOW IT IS EVERYWHERE. SO IT’S THE SUM TOTAL OF THIS TEAM THAT MAKES MAKES THE MAGIC HAPPEN. YOU KNOW, WE DO THINGS THAT WE THINK, OH, THERE’S NO WAY WE CAN DO THIS WHEN IT’S SET IN FRONT OF US. AND THEN WE JUST GET TO IT AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, IT’S DONE. SO I THINK I THINK IT’S THE COMBINED. REALLY FEELING OF EVERYBODY HERE OF THIS IS WHAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THAT REALLY KEEPS THAT CULTURE AND THAT MORALE HIGH, EVEN AT A TIME, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY DURING COVID WHEN PEOPLE THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, EARLY DAYS WHEN NOBODY KNEW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO LAST FOR TWO WEEKS. AND THEN IT WENT ON AND ON AND ON. BUT WE WERE STILL HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? AND WE JUST WE DID IT AS WE WENT. WE MADE MISTAKES. WE FIXED THEM. WE PIVOTED. WE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST EVERYBODY WORKED TOGETHER TO MAKE WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN IMPOSSIBLE TIME BETTER. AND NOW WE ALL TALK OPENLY ABOUT HOW THE TIME WE’RE IN RIGHT NOW IS LOOKING AHEAD. LOOKS TO BE EVEN HARDER. WOW. AND SO. KNOWING THAT WE WE SPECIALIZE IN HARD THINGS. IT’S KIND OF OUR IT’S SOMETHING WE SAY, YOU KNOW, WE’RE REAL GOOD AT HARD THINGS. WE WISH WE DIDN’T HAVE TO BE, BUT WE ARE. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A PAUSE ON, BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS? YOU KNOW, AND I LEAD BY EXAMPLE. I’M NOT AFRAID TO DO ANY OF THE WORK HERE. IN FACT, I’VE DONE MOST OF IT. AND I’LL JUMP IN RIGHT BESIDE ANYBODY DOING ANYTHING. BUT LOOKING AHEAD, HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO IT? AND AND HOW IS IT GOING TO HOW IS EVERYTHING GOING TO BE OKAY. WELL, WE’RE JUST GOING TO WORK AND WE’RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST AND GOOD THINGS HAPPEN WHEN WE DO THAT. AND I EXPECT NO DIFFERENT THIS TIME. BUT IT IS DAUNTING RIGHT NOW. YEAH. TURBULENT TIME FOR SURE. WELL, LASTLY, FOR ANYONE WATCHING WHO MAY BE WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT MISSION. I’D LIKE TO BE A PART OF THIS. WHAT WOULD YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM BE? WELL, I’D LOVE TO HAVE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME IN FOR A TOUR. THEY CAN JUST. THEY CAN GET AHOLD OF ME. I’D BE HAPPY TO TAKE THEM ON A TOUR MYSELF. ANYBODY HERE WOULD COME IN AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE DO. FOLKS ARE OFTEN SURPRISED BY THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE DO, AND EVEN THE SIZE OF OUR BUILDING. THEY CAN GO TO FOOD BANK IOWA.ORG AND THEY CAN SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER. WE HAVE AMAZING VOLUNTEERS BACK HERE OR IN OUR BUILDING, AND THE VOLUNTEER CENTER WHO COME IN WEEK AFTER WEEK, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO COME IN. MAYBE THEY CAN ONLY COME IN ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR. THAT’S FANTASTIC TOO. YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU’RE WORKING FOR A CORPORATION, YOU CAN SUGGEST THAT MAYBE AS A TEAM YOU ALL COME HERE AND VOLUNTEER, LEARN ABOUT WHAT WE DO. FOLKS COME IN AND THEY LEARN ABOUT OUR MISSION, AND THEN THEY GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT IT AND IT BECOMES A GREAT CONVERSATION IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS A KEY PIECE. YOU CAN ALSO GO ON OUR WEBSITE AND FIND FOOD. IF YOU’RE SOMEBODY WHO NEEDS FOOD RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN FIND ALL OF OUR PARTNERS WHO’S NEAR YOU, WHERE YOU CAN GO GET FOOD, AND ON THAT SAME WEBSITE, OF COURSE, YOU CAN DONATE TO FOOD BANK OF IOWA. SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS, A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT YOU CAN LEARN MORE OR DO MORE OR BECOME INVOLVED. AND WE WELCOME YOU HERE AT THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING TIME FOR THIS CONVERSATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, WELL THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. WELCOME BACK. THE 2025 IOWA STATE FAIR WRAPPED UP JUST ONE WEEK AGO. AND THERE IS ALWAYS A LOT OF FOOD LEFT OVER AFTER THE FAIR. SEVERAL VENDORS MADE SURE THAT THAT FOOD WENT TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST. TEN BUSINESSES DONATED THEIR LEFTOVER FOOD TO THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA. NOW, ALTOGETHER, THOSE VENDORS DONATED NEARLY 6,000 POUNDS OF FOOD. AND THAT’S ON TOP OF THE GENEROUS DONATIONS FROM LOTS OF FAIRGOERS WHO ALSO DONATED FOOD IN EXCHANGE FOR REDUCED ADMISSION. ON THE FINAL SUNDAY OF THE FAIR. THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA HAS WORKED WITH THE STATE FAIR VENDORS TO UTILIZE UNSOLD FOOD SINCE 2018. THE GOAL? REDUCING FOOD WASTE. IN TOTAL. THE USDA ESTIMATES UP TO 40% OF FOOD HERE IN THE U.S. IS WASTED EACH YEAR. NOW, THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS THAT YOU CAN GET HELP, GIVE HELP, AND VOLUNTEER THROUGH THE FOOD BANK OF IOWA. JUST GO TO FOOD BANK IOWA.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION. THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. HAVE A GREAT DAY.