The Fields, taking away hunger one meal at a time

BY BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

For Don and Sandee Fields, leading the fight against world hunger is a life?s passion. In their time working together, the local couple has helped send millions of nutritious meals to hungry mouths all over the world, and insist that 2016 promises to be one of their most impactful years yet.

Over the last 13 years, Don and Sandee have been fighting world hunger under the banner of the national Kids Against Hunger organization, but this year, that will change. After seeing an opportunity to create their own Iowa-based non-profit, the couple have announced the formation of their own hunger prevention organization, Take Away Hunger.

While still keeping with all the same principals and purposes of Kids Against Hunger, the Fields say starting the own 501c3 will help keep their operations ?simple, affordable, efficient and effective.?

?This is really about Iowa,? says Sandee of couple?s decision to start Take Away Hunger as an Iowa-based company. ?We have learned that hunger exists everywhere in this world - around the globe, but also here at home. Our goal is to eventually reach every community in the state with what we are doing.?

Despite a name swap and change of affiliation, Take Away Hunger will continue to produce, package and ship healthy meal packages to needy people in Iowa, the U.S., and abroad. Each meal the organization packages feeds roughly six people and costs about a $.25 to produce. The meals are a pre-packaged, rice-based, soy casserole mix. Every meal contains a variety of vital vitamins and minerals, and is formulated for desirable taste.

Don, who once worked as an overseas missionary, has been in the fight against hunger since 2003. The couple started their mission to end hunger after watching a video from Kids Against Hunger.

?We watched it and fell in love with helping needy, hungry people, and have been fighting against hunger ever since,? Don says. ?We truly believe that hunger should not exist anywhere in the world ? plain and simple.?

Originally, the Fields operated their agency from their home/storage facility south of Brighton. In 2010, however, the couple moved their operation to what was the former training center for Hon Industries, in Mt. Pleasant, and has remained there ever since.

As of 2016, the Mt. Pleasant center has sent millions of meals all over the U.S., and to 20 different countries around the world. In addition, the Fields have been continuing in their partnership with Iowa State University to perfect and expand their line of packaged meals to include more health benefits and a wider variety of flavors.

?We love what God has allowed us to do with this endeavor,? says Sandee. ?He has really given us all the tools we need, and all we have to do is follow his direction.?

So far, the Fields have set up a myriad of wing units all across the state who partner with them to organize packaging events with churches, youth programs, and other humanitarian and community groups. This year, however, the Fields say they would like to see more young people get involved and lead the next generation of Iowa?s youth who want to see an end to world hunger.

?By making this a local operation and by getting local people involved, we really do believe that this is how the problem of world hunger is going to get solved,? says Don. ?Once people get involved and they see how simple and effective it is, they really fall in love with it like we have.?

Getting involved with Take Away Hunger, the Fields say, is simple. A typical packaging team consists of 10 to 12 people who have decided to do a meal-packaging event. Each team can package approximately 1,700 meals at a cost of .25 per meal, or a total of $432, in roughly 45 minutes to an hour.

?Really, the best thing to do is to give us a call,? said Fields. ?There are different ways people can get involved outside of just organizing a packaging event. Sandee and I really do believe that everyone can do something.?

For more information on Take Away Hunger, call their office in Mt. Pleasant at 319-385-1770, or visit their office at 1301 West Saunders Ave.