Drive to End Hunger Picking Up Steam

South Dakota volunteers jumped in the driver seat, revved up their engines and took on the challenge full throttle. Chapters across the state have been holding food drives to benefit local food pantries, providing dozens of pounds of food to provide nutritious meals for the nearly 4% of South Dakota’s 65+ population facing hunger.

A two-month long food drive at Active Generations in Sioux Falls, and a satellite senior Center in Canton, SD netted more than 250 pounds of food for Feeding South Dakota to meet local needs. Keeping with the spirit of Drive to End Hunger, the collection culminated with a classic car show held at Active Generations.

Though not a NASCAR state, AARP South Dakota is reaching out to race fans of all ages, holding food collections at local speedways, and to a broader community through a collection at the South Dakota State Fair on September 5th. Fair goers who bring a non-perishable food item from 7 am to 10 am will receive $2.00 off their admission to the state fair.

Additionally, efforts to meet the nutritional needs of older South Dakotans continue in Pierre. AARP and South Dakota Retired Teacher volunteers continued their commitment to fighting hunger by filling more than 1300 senior food boxes at the Pierre area Feeding South Dakota food bank. Those boxes are delivered to South Dakotans in need in 24 counties in central South Dakota.

Coming this fall, Watertown volunteers teamed up with a local artist for an “Empty Bowls” event. Watertown Retired Teachers association provided clay for a local artist to create individually hand crafted soup bowls. The artist donated the bowls back to the WARTA to host a soup-supper benefit with proceeds being donated to Feeding America.

Want to help the hungry in your community? With 5 dollars or 50, 5 minutes or five hours, we can all help someone eat today! Explore all the ways you help at Create the Good or Drive to End Hunger.