CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (Oct. 11, 2022) – Last month as part of Hunger Action Month, Alliant Energy raised over $500,000 to support programs that fight hunger and food insecurity in Iowa and Wisconsin.
Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study revealed one in 14 people in Iowa and Wisconsin are food insecure. Rural communities struggle with food insecurity at a higher rate due to ongoing inflation and impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study from Iowa State University.
Drive Out Hunger
Alliant Energy recently hosted the annual Drive Out Hunger golf tournament and signature fundraiser connecting local business partners to programs that alleviate hunger. This year, Drive Out Hunger raised $500,000. In the last 16 years, the tournament has raised over $5.5 million for hunger relief and provided over 18.5 million meals.
Funds raised from Drive Out Hunger will go toward seven local food banks:
- HACAP Food Reservoir serving 9 counties.
- Food Bank of Iowa serving 55 counties.
- Northeast Iowa Food Bank serving 16 counties.
- River Bend Food Bank serving 5 counties.
- Food Bank for the Heartland serving 4 counties.
- Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin serving 16 counties.
- Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin serving 35 counties.
My Account meals
Food banks across Iowa and Wisconsin recently received nearly 50,000 meals from Alliant Energy as part of a campaign encouraging customers to enroll to use the company’s online management tool, My Account. For every customer who signed up for the service between May and July, Alliant Energy donated three meals.
Supporting local communities
Throughout Hunger Action Month, Alliant Energy encouraged its employees to volunteer and support hunger and food insecurity programs. Many spent time at mobile food pantries and food packing events. Alliant Energy employees volunteered at mobile food pantries in Centerville, Iowa, and Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Rapids, Sheboygan, Janesville, Platteville and Monroe, Wisconsin. Employees also packed food for the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Second Harvest Food Bank in Madison, Wisconsin.
Additionally, through the Alliant Energy Foundation-sponsored Hustle for Hunger program, employees recorded healthy activities in exchange for the company donating directly to food bank partners. This program raised over $15,000.
Hunger and housing is a key giving area for the Alliant Energy Foundation. Throughout the year, fundraising events, grants and donations, mobile food truck sponsorships and employee volunteers aid hunger relief initiatives for the communities Alliant Energy serves.
“The Alliant Energy Foundation is proud to assist food support programs during Hunger Action Month and throughout the year,” said Julie Bauer, executive director, Alliant Energy Foundation. “Meeting the basic nutrition needs of those in the communities we serve makes sure no one must make the impossible decision between food on their table or a roof over their head. Employee volunteerism creates a direct impact on our neighbors and helps us carry out our mission to build stronger communities.”
In addition to hunger and housing, the Alliant Energy Foundation supports programs that promote workforce readiness, environmental stewardship, community engagement, diversity, safety and well-being.
Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: LNT) provides regulated energy service to 1 million electric and 425,000 natural gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alliant Energy's mission is to deliver energy solutions and exceptional service customers and communities count on – safely, efficiently and responsibly. Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) are Alliant Energy's two public energy companies. Alliant Energy is a component of Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index and the S&P 500. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com and follow Alliant Energy on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.