Bremer Supports "Kids Against Hunger"

On Saturday, May 2, nearly 400 volunteers from the Brainerd area participated in a meal packaging event for the “Kids Against Hunger” program, part of Outreach Africa. Volunteers weighed, measured and assembled food packets that contained rice, protein particles, dehydrated vegetables and a vitamin/mineral tablet. The packets were then vacuum sealed and boxed for shipment to a feeding station in Tanzania.

The meal packets cost 25 cents each to assemble and ship and each packet provides six meals. Our goal was to have 40 teams, with each team responsible to assemble 1,000 packets and contribute the associated $250 cost to pay for the materials and shipping. The event was a huge success. In total, we raised more than $11,000 and assembled over 44,000 packets for a total of over 264,000 meals. We also collected over 800 pounds of food and over $200 in cash for the local Salvation Army food shelf.

Bremer and its employees participated in several ways. We had nine employees who volunteered on May 2, including: Beverly Marx, Bob Musielewicz, Emma Rademacher, Ruth Johnson, Michelle Winter, Jan Rohl, Carolin Hamdorf, Peggy McKay and Lisa Wigand. We also had help from two spouses, John McKay and Dave Ten Eyck. Bremer Bank locally paid the $250 fee to cover the cost associated with this team. In addition, Bremer employees contributed a total of $350 to sponsor other teams. These funds were used to pay for several teams of Girl Scouts who were willing to help out but unable to raise the associated funds.

A big thank you is due to all who supported this worthwhile cause. As the founder of Outreach Africa said at the end of the day, “You have no idea how many lives you have changed today.”

Guest post by Lisa Wigand, Credit Analyst, Bremer Bank Brainerd