The Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation team distributed over 37,000 pounds of pork loin to 214 organizations on October 25
Iowa Select Farms supports Iowa veterans and military families by helping communities host Veterans Day celebrations
October 28, 2025 (West Des Moines, Iowa) – 214 Iowa veteran-based organizations are preparing to host Veterans Day celebrations with the support of Iowa Select Farms and the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation. Eligible veterans’ organizations, community groups and nonprofits received free pork loins and supplies on Oct. 25, 2024 for Veterans Day community events.
The pork loins and event kits help communities celebrate and honor veterans in their area, spanning 73 Iowa counties and 142 communities. Encompassing the 214 organizations are 95 American Legions, 33 Veterans of Foreign Wars organizations, 19 Elks Lodges, 21 County Veteran Affairs Offices, 10 AMVETS and 31 other veteran-based groups.
This is the third year that pork loins and supplies have been offered. Each organization was offered 48 boneless pork loins and an event kit complete with placemats, plates, cups, napkins, centerpieces, posters and tablecloths. On average, the kits will feed 960 people.
Building on the success of previous years, 88 new organizations requested supplies this year, demonstrating a 33% increase in participation from last year and a 94% increase from the inaugural year. In a survey of participants, 42 reported planning a brand new event due to the offer. Over 75% reported that their current programming would be significantly enhanced.
“The Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation has seen how sharing a meal can strengthen communities and show gratitude in meaningful ways,” said Laura Noehren, Foundation Program Manager. “Through Pork for Patriots, we’re honored to give back to the veterans whose service continues to protect the communities we call home.”
Pork for Patriots is just one of the foundation’s programs devoted to supporting and honoring Iowa veterans and military families. The foundation offers micro-grants through Project Food and Fellowship, outfits veterans through the My Veteran Hero program, delivers Pork Care Package coupons to active military members, sends annual gifts to Gold Star families and sponsors of the Veterans Day parade at the Iowa State Fair.
About the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation
The Hansens, who founded Iowa Select Farms and New Modern Concepts in Iowa Falls, Iowa, established the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation in 2006 to relieve hunger, support military families and strengthen efforts to find a cure for childhood cancer while improving the quality of life for cancer patients. Learn more at iowaselect.com/foundation.
About Iowa Select Farms
Iowa Select Farms is the largest pork producer in Iowa and is committed to responsibly producing safe, nutritious and high-quality pork for their customers and the food companies they serve. The company has 242,000 sows and annually produces more than one billion pounds of pork. With 800 swine farms across the state, Iowa Select Farms is one of the leading economic engines to Iowa’s rural communities through employing more than 1,200 people, contracting with more than 650 farmers and supporting hundreds of local businesses throughout the state.
Event kits included plates, placemats, cups and decorations for local Veterans Day celebrations.
Participating organizations:
American Legion Post 252, Ackley
Dallas County Veterans Affairs, Adel
Moving Veterans Forward of North Central Iowa, Algona
VFW Post 4069, Alta Vista
Placoderm Submarine Veterans of Iowa, Altoona
American Legion Post 37, Ames
Elk Lodge 1626, Ames
AMVETS Post 110, Anamosa
American Legion Post 210, Anita
American Legion Post 389, Anthon
AMVETS Post 102, Aplington
American Legion Auxiliary Post 694, Arcadia
American Legion Post 694, Arcadia
Elks Lodge 445, Atlantic
Audubon County Veteran Affairs, Audubon
American Legion Post 227, Avoca
American Legion Post 563, Bonaparte
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 56, Boone
American Legion Post 56, Boone
Boone County Veterans Affairs, Boone
VFW Auxiliary Post 817, Boone
VFW Post 817, Boone
American Legion Post 607, Breda
American Legion Riders Post 607, Breda
American Legion Post 391, Carlisle
Bob James VFW Post 2099, Carlisle
Moose Lodge 273, Carroll
AMVETS Post 49, Cedar Falls
Elks Lodge 251, Cedar Rapids
Freedom Foundation, Cedar Rapids
Moose Lodge 304, Cedar Rapids
AMVETS Post 37, Central City
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 174, Charles City
Elks Lodge 418, Charles City
Floyd County Veterans Affairs, Charles City
VFW Post 3914, Charles City
American Legion Post 66, Charter Oak
Wright County Veterans Affairs, Clarion
VFW Post 4868, Clear Lake
Moose Lodge 363, Clinton
VFW Post 7736, Colesburg
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 100, Columbus Junction
Midwest Military Outreach, Columbus Junction
American Legion Post 68, Corydon
Pottawattamie County Veterans Service Office, Council Bluffs
Elks Lodge 605, Creston
Fraternal Order of Eagles 1398, Creston
VFW Post 5240, Dakota City
Elks Lodge 298, Davenport
American Legion Post 163, Decorah
VFW Post 1977, Decorah
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 296, Deep River
VFW Post 2504, Denison
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 374, Des Moines
American Legion Post 374, Des Moines
AMVETS Post 2, Des Moines
Elks Lodge 98, Des Moines
Larry Nehring Detachment #103 of the Marine Corps League, Des Moines
VFW Auxiliary Post 9127, Des Moines
VFW Foundation, Des Moines
VFW Post 9127, Des Moines
VFW Post 9662, Des Moines
American Legion Post 419, Dexter
Dexter United Methodist Church, Dexter
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 494, Douds
American Legion Post 494, Douds
American Legion Post 444, Dow City
American Legion Post 523, Dows
Combat Veterans Motorcycle Assn. 39-3, Dubuque
Disabled American Veterans, Dubuque
Dubuque County Veterans Affairs, Dubuque
Dubuque Rescue Mission, Dubuque
Elks Lodge 297, Dubuque
Moose Lodge 355, Dubuque
Veterans Freedom Center, Dubuque
VFW Post 508, Dubuque
American Legion Post 430, Durant
Sons of the American Legion 430, Durant
VFW Post 12194, Durant
American Legion Post 137, Dyersville
VFW Post 642, Eagle Grove
American Legion Post 158, Earlham
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 182, Eldora
American Legion Post 541, Ellston
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 555, Ely
VFW Post 2295, Emmetsburg
AMVETS Post 13, Epworth
John White American Legion Post 650, Epworth
Sons of the American Legion Post 650, Epworth
Elks Lodge 528, Estherville
AMVETS Post 31, Evansdale
Elks Lodge 1192, Fairfield
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 650, Farley
American Legion Post 231, Farmington
Moose Lodge 806, Fort Dodge
Webster County Veterans Affairs, Fort Dodge
AMVETS Post 90, Fredericksburg
American Legion Post 256, Garner
American Legion Post 431, Gowrie
Swingin’ Fore Soldiers, Gowrie
American Legion Post 215, Grand River
American Legion Post 717, Granger
DSM Chief Petty Officer Association , Granger
American Legion Post 55, Grinnell
Elks Lodge 1266, Grinnell
Poweshiek County Veterans Affairs, Grinnell
Sons Of The American Legion Post 53, Grinnell
Guthrie County Veterans Affairs, Guthrie Center
American Legion Post 720, Hancock
Arendt Bowlin Stubbs American Legion Post 83, Hedrick
American Legion Casper Post 477, Hinton
VFW Post 244, Independence
Elks Lodge 2814, Indianola
Elks Lodge 590, Iowa City
Veterans Liberty Center, Iowa City
VFW Post 3949, Iowa City
Elks Lodge 1674, Iowa Falls
Elks Lodge 2306, Jefferson
Greene County Veterans Affairs, Jefferson
American Legion Post 41, Keokuk
Beer Barker American Legion Post 113, Keosauqua
Van Buren County Veteran Affairs, Keosauqua
VFW Post 3533, Laurens
American Legion Post 279, Lawler
Le Roy American Legion Auxiliary #161, Le Roy
American Legion Post 80, Leon
Decatur County Veterans Affairs, Leon
American Legion Post 415, Livermore
American Legion Post 96, Lorimor
Lorimor Fire Department, Lorimor
American Legion Post 656, Luxemburg
VFW Auxiliary Post 5060, Madrid
American Legion Post 45, Manchester
American Legion Post 132, Manilla
American Legion Post 110, Manly
Manson Lions Club, Manson
VFW Post 3633, Maquoketa
American Legion Post 467, Marshalltown
Elks Lodge 312, Marshalltown
Cerro Gordo Veterans Affairs, Mason City
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 511, Menlo
American Legion Post 483, Milton
American Legion Post 99, Minburn
Lee County Veterans Affairs, Montrose
American Legion Post 172, Mount Ayr
Healing Heroes Homestead, Mount Pleasant
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 303, Moville
American Legion Post 405, Murray
American Legion Post 38, New Hampton
Chickasaw County Veterans Affairs, New Hampton
American Legion Post 660, New Hartford
VFW Post 6779, Northwood
American Legion Post 129, Onawa
American Legion Riders 278, Osage
American Legion Post 69, Osceola
Clarke County Veterans Affairs, Osceola
American Legion Post 34, Oskaloosa
American Legion Post 503, Ossian
American Legion Post 285, Parkersburg
American Legion Post 89, Pella
VFW Post 2060, Perry
Pocahontas County Veterans Affairs, Pocahontas
American Legion Post 232, Polk City
American Legion Post 719, Prescott
Elks Lodge 1304, Red Oak
VFW Post 6414, Riverside
AMVETS Post 41, Rockwell City
Calhoun County Commission of Veteran Affairs, Rockwell City
DAV Chapter 29, Rockwell City
Marine Corps League 539, Rockwell City
First Christian Church Sac City and Sac County Quilters, Sac City
Elks Lodge 1122, Shenandoah
American Legion Post 19, Sigourney
Keokuk County Veterans Affairs, Sigourney
185th Air Refueling Wing, Sioux City
Elks Lodge 112, Sioux City
American Legion Post 260, Slater
American Legion Post 467, Spillville
American Legion Post 147, Stockport
American Legion Post 146, Stuart
West Central Valley Community Schools, Stuart
American Legion Post 223, Sumner
Cedar County Veterans Affairs, Tipton
VFW Auxiliary Post 2537, Tipton
VFW Post 2537, Tipton
American Legion Post 72, Toledo
VFW Post 4013, Tripoli
403 Foundation, Van Meter
American Legion Post 403, Van Meter
American Legion Post 57, Vinton
American Legion Post 29, Washington
American Legion Post 138, Waterloo
Americans for Independent Living Veteran Resource Center, Waterloo
American Legion Post 605, Waucoma
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 176, Waverly
AMVETS Post 79, Waverly
Bartels Lutheran Home, Waverly
Northeast Iowa Marine Corps League Det 1241, Waverly
VFW Post 2208, Waverly
Waverly Area Veterans Post, Waverly
Waverly Senior Center, Waverly
American Legion Post 191, Webster City
Giving Back Outdoors, West Des Moines
VFW Auxiliary District 5, West Des Moines
VFW Post 8879, West Des Moines
Warriors from Ashes Rising Inc., West Des Moines
American Legion Post 15, West Union
American Legion Post 196, Westside
Calamus Wheatland Community Schools, Wheatland
American Legion Post 425, Whittemore
VFW Post 8142, Winterset
Women for Veterans, Woodbine
American Legion Auxiliary Unit 157, Woodburn
American Legion Post 157, Woodburn
