Opportunities From: Meals from the Heartland

Bucket Brigade at Meals from the Heartland!

Bucket Brigade volunteers keep bulk ingredient bins stocked at packaging stations, helping everything run smoothly during a packaging shift. This active, hands-on role is essential for keeping ingredient stations stocked so every volunteer can contribute to assembling nutritious meals. Working alongside staff, Pack Masters, and fellow volunteers, your teamwork helps feed children and families locally and globally.

Note: This position requires lifting 30-lb buckets on a regular basis.

Before You Arrive:

Arrive about 10 minutes early for check-in and orientation

Wear closed-toed shoes, and comfortable clothing; hairnets, beard nets, and gloves provided

Remove jewelry to keep ingredients safe

Bring your energy and teamwork- you’ll be moving, monitoring, and keeping bins stocked throughout the shift

Volunteer Waiver:
By volunteering, you agree to our standard waiver of liability. Participation is voluntary, and your registration confirms your understanding

National Nonprofit Day: Celebrating the Power of Service

Join Meals from the Heartland and fellow nonprofit organizations for a special National Nonprofit Day packaging event at the Patty Cownie Packaging Center. This gathering brings together nonprofit leaders, volunteers, and community partners for a shared day of service, connection, and impact.

While our missions may look different, we share a common purpose: caring for people and strengthening our communities. Together, we will assemble nutritious, nonperishable, and culturally adaptable meals that provide nourishment and hope to children and families experiencing food insecurity locally and around the world.

Every meal assembled represents compassion in action. It can support a child ready to learn, provide comfort to families recovering after natural disasters, bring stability to communities facing hardship, and remind people that they are not alone.

This event is more than packing meals. It is an opportunity to lead with heart, serve with purpose, and create meaningful impact alongside organizations dedicated to making a difference.

Come join us as we assemble meals and deliver hope. Together, we can make an impact that reaches far beyond the walls of our Packaging Center

Packaging with Meals from the Heartland!

Volunteers play a hands-on role in the fight against hunger by working together to assemble nutritious meals during a two-hour shift. You’ll work alongside fellow volunteers and our staff at stations to fill, weigh, seal, and box meals. Each packager helps create about 540 meals- enough to feed two children for a full year! This impactful work supports Meals from the Heartland’s mission to fight hunger both locally and globally. Together in 2026, we’re aiming to assemble 23.3 million meals, and your time and teamwork help make that goal possible.

Before You Arrive:

Please arrive about 10 minutes early for check in and orientation.

Closed-toed shoes and comfortable, casual clothing are recommended. 

Long hair should be tied back- hairnets and beard nets will be provided. 

Please remove jewelry before packaging to help maintain the integrity of the meals, this helps ensure items don’t get lost and keeps food safe for the families we serve.

Celebrate your team, corporate or branded apparel is encouraged. 

Bring your energy and teamwork, we’ll guide you through the process from start to finish

Volunteer Waiver:
By volunteering with Meals from the Heartland, you agree to our standard waiver of liability. Participation is voluntary, and your registration confirms your understanding.

9/11 Day of Service

September 11 is a day our nation remembers with reflection, gratitude, and respect. We honor the lives lost, recognize the courage of the first responders and service members who answered the call, and remember the countless individuals who came together to help their neighbors in the days that followed.

At Meals from the Heartland, that same spirit of service is at the heart of our mission. Every meal packaged by volunteers is an act of compassion, providing nourishment to families facing food insecurity and communities recovering from disasters and times of crisis.

Join us for a Day of Service as we gather to honor 9/11 through meaningful action. Together, we'll package meals, recognize those who dedicate their lives to serving others, and celebrate the power of community to bring hope, healing, and resilience.

Event Schedule

Because even in our hardest moments, we are strongest when we serve one another.

Join thousands of volunteers as we come together for Meals from the Heartland's Annual Hunger Fight 2026. Our goal is to assemble 1.75 million nutritious, nonperishable, and culturally adaptable meals that will help nourish individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Iowa, across the United States, and around the world.

These meals provide hope in communities facing hunger due to natural disasters, limited access to affordable food, poverty, and conflict. Every meal packaged represents compassion in action and helps ensure that children and families have access to a reliable source of nutrition when they need it most.

To reach our goal, we need 4,000 volunteers to package 1.75 million meals. Whether you join with your family, friends, coworkers, faith community, school, civic organization, sports team, or volunteer on your own, your time will make a lasting impact!

Everyone is welcome at the Annual Hunger Fight. Our packaging stations are designed to be adaptable and inclusive, allowing individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to participate in a meaningful way. No experience is necessary, and every volunteer plays an important role in helping us fight hunger.

Together, we can transform just a few hours of service into millions of meals and countless moments of hope.

Join us and be part of something bigger. Together, we can help feed the world.

Volunteer Waiver: By volunteering with Meals from the Heartland, you agree to our standard waiver of liability. Participation is voluntary, and your registration confirms your understanding.

Join thousands of volunteers as we come together for Meals from the Heartland's Annual Hunger Fight 2026. Our goal is to assemble 1.75 million nutritious, nonperishable, and culturally adaptable meals that will help nourish individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Iowa, across the United States, and around the world.

These meals provide hope in communities facing hunger due to natural disasters, limited access to affordable food, poverty, and conflict. Every meal packaged represents compassion in action and helps ensure that children and families have access to a reliable source of nutrition when they need it most.

To reach our goal, we need 4,000 volunteers to package 1.75 million meals. Whether you join with your family, friends, coworkers, faith community, school, civic organization, sports team, or volunteer on your own, your time will make a lasting impact!

Everyone is welcome at the Annual Hunger Fight. Our packaging stations are designed to be adaptable and inclusive, allowing individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to participate in a meaningful way. No experience is necessary, and every volunteer plays an important role in helping us fight hunger.

Together, we can transform just a few hours of service into millions of meals and countless moments of hope.

Join us and be part of something bigger. Together, we can help feed the world.

Volunteer Waiver: By volunteering with Meals from the Heartland, you agree to our standard waiver of liability. Participation is voluntary, and your registration confirms your understanding.

Join thousands of volunteers as we come together for Meals from the Heartland's Annual Hunger Fight 2026. Our goal is to assemble 1.75 million nutritious, nonperishable, and culturally adaptable meals that will help nourish individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Iowa, across the United States, and around the world.

These meals provide hope in communities facing hunger due to natural disasters, limited access to affordable food, poverty, and conflict. Every meal packaged represents compassion in action and helps ensure that children and families have access to a reliable source of nutrition when they need it most.

To reach our goal, we need 4,000 volunteers to package 1.75 million meals. Whether you join with your family, friends, coworkers, faith community, school, civic organization, sports team, or volunteer on your own, your time will make a lasting impact!

Everyone is welcome at the Annual Hunger Fight. Our packaging stations are designed to be adaptable and inclusive, allowing individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to participate in a meaningful way. No experience is necessary, and every volunteer plays an important role in helping us fight hunger.

Together, we can transform just a few hours of service into millions of meals and countless moments of hope.

Join us and be part of something bigger. Together, we can help feed the world.

Volunteer Waiver: By volunteering with Meals from the Heartland, you agree to our standard waiver of liability. Participation is voluntary, and your registration confirms your understanding.

Join thousands of volunteers as we come together for Meals from the Heartland's Annual Hunger Fight 2026. Our goal is to assemble 1.75 million nutritious, nonperishable, and culturally adaptable meals that will help nourish individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Iowa, across the United States, and around the world.

These meals provide hope in communities facing hunger due to natural disasters, limited access to affordable food, poverty, and conflict. Every meal packaged represents compassion in action and helps ensure that children and families have access to a reliable source of nutrition when they need it most.

To reach our goal, we need 4,000 volunteers to package 1.75 million meals. Whether you join with your family, friends, coworkers, faith community, school, civic organization, sports team, or volunteer on your own, your time will make a lasting impact!

Everyone is welcome at the Annual Hunger Fight. Our packaging stations are designed to be adaptable and inclusive, allowing individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to participate in a meaningful way. No experience is necessary, and every volunteer plays an important role in helping us fight hunger.

Together, we can transform just a few hours of service into millions of meals and countless moments of hope.

Join us and be part of something bigger. Together, we can help feed the world.

Volunteer Waiver: By volunteering with Meals from the Heartland, you agree to our standard waiver of liability. Participation is voluntary, and your registration confirms your understanding. 

Join thousands of volunteers as we come together for Meals from the Heartland's Annual Hunger Fight 2026. Our goal is to assemble 1.75 million nutritious, nonperishable, and culturally adaptable meals that will help nourish individuals and families experiencing food insecurity in Iowa, across the United States, and around the world.

These meals provide hope in communities facing hunger due to natural disasters, limited access to affordable food, poverty, and conflict. Every meal packaged represents compassion in action and helps ensure that children and families have access to a reliable source of nutrition when they need it most.

To reach our goal, we need 4,000 volunteers to package 1.75 million meals. Whether you join with your family, friends, coworkers, faith community, school, civic organization, sports team, or volunteer on your own, your time will make a lasting impact!

Everyone is welcome at the Annual Hunger Fight. Our packaging stations are designed to be adaptable and inclusive, allowing individuals of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to participate in a meaningful way. No experience is necessary, and every volunteer plays an important role in helping us fight hunger.

Together, we can transform just a few hours of service into millions of meals and countless moments of hope.

Join us and be part of something bigger. Together, we can help feed the world.

Volunteer Waiver: By volunteering with Meals from the Heartland, you agree to our standard waiver of liability. Participation is voluntary, and your registration confirms your understanding.

Looking for a meaningful way to give back while helping lead others? Become a Pack Master at Meals from the Heartland.

Pack Masters are volunteer leaders who help guide meal packaging shifts and create a welcoming, organized experience for volunteers. In this role, you’ll help explain the packaging process, support volunteers throughout the shift, and help ensure thousands of meals are packaged for families experiencing food insecurity.

No prior experience is required, our team will provide training and support to help you feel confident in the role.

What Pack Masters Do

Help lead volunteer packaging shifts

Welcome and guide volunteers through the process

Demonstrate packaging roles and answer questions

Support a fun, safe, and impactful volunteer experience

What to Expect

Orientation with Meals from the Heartland staff

Opportunities to shadow experienced Pack Masters

Flexible scheduling based on available shifts

Quarterly meetings to stay connected and share updates

Background check required due to the leadership role supporting other volunteers

Pack Masters play a vital role in helping volunteers turn their time into meals for people around the world. If you enjoy working with others and want to take your volunteering to the next level, we’d love to have you join our volunteer leadership team!