Connect with us

Iowa

Iowa nonprofit worries about meeting Thanksgiving meal demand amid SNAP funding concerns

Published

on

Iowa nonprofit worries about meeting Thanksgiving meal demand amid SNAP funding concerns


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A local nonprofit that provides Thanksgiving meals to families in need says it might not be able to fill all requests this year due to concerns about SNAP benefit funding during the government shutdown.

The Iowa Giving Crew has distributed Thanksgiving dinners since 2017. This year, the organization plans to distribute 2,500 meals, surpassing its previous record of 2,000, and is expanding its coverage area to include the Quad Cities.

“People don’t always humanize that, and you know, it’s really hard to share that story,” said Danielle Monthei, fundraising director for Iowa Giving Crew.

Monthei said she understands food insecurity firsthand, having been raised by a single mother who relied on SNAP benefits.

Advertisement

“She worked really, really hard. The benefits that we were given were really necessary for us,” Monthei said.

The nonprofit loads boxes with everything families need for a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner. With SNAP benefits not being funded during the government shutdown, organizers worry more people will need assistance this year.

“What I think some of us feel the void we are trying to fill is food insecurity in general, whereas ‘Operation Give Birds’ is to create the Thanksgiving experience,” Monthei said.

The organization’s Operation Give Birds program typically focuses on providing Thanksgiving extras while families use their regular benefits for everyday groceries. But the current funding situation could change that dynamic.

People can start signing up on Thursday to receive Thanksgiving meals through the Operation Give Birds website or Facebook page. The program serves the areas of Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo, Dubuque, and Davenport.

Advertisement

“When people have access to their benefits, they can only worry about Thanksgiving,” Monthei said.

With Congress moving forward to reopen the government, Monthei said she hopes public support will help meet grocery needs so Operation Give Birds can focus on holiday extras.



Source link

Advertisement

Iowa

Iowa State football lands 2027 3-star linebacker commit Keaton Wollan

Published

on

Iowa State football lands 2027 3-star linebacker commit Keaton Wollan


play

After securing multiple commitments on the offensive side of the ball, Iowa State football has landed its first defensive commitment in the 2027 recruiting class.

Keaton Wollan, a three-star linebacker out of Amery, Wisconsin, committed to the Cyclones on April 21. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound linebacker announced his decision on social media.

Advertisement

He chose Iowa State over other offers from Texas Tech and North Dakota State. He previously visited Ames in March, but he also took recent visits to Minnesota and Wisconsin.

As a junior at Amery High School, Wollan was a two-way standout and earned all-state honors for the 2025 season. Defensively, he racked up a team-high 125 total tackles, including nine for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three interceptions and one defensive touchdown.

Offensively, he had a team-high 932 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 160 carries. He also caught 15 passes for 179 yards, and he was an impact player in the return game, logging more than 500 kick and punt return yards.

According to 247 Sports Composite rankings, Wollan is the No. 93 linebacker prospect in the country and the No. 11 overall recruit in his class from the state of Wisconsin.

Advertisement

Wollan is the sixth player to commit in the Cyclones’ 2027 recruiting class.

Iowa State football 2027 recruiting commitments

As of April 21

  • Gavin Ericson-Staton, OL | Lombard, Illinois/Montini Catholic
  • Isaiah Hansen, RB | Newton, Iowa/Newton HS
  • Koen Hinzman, OL | Hudson, Michigan/Hudson Area HS
  • Will Slagle, OL | Grinnell, Iowa/Grinnell HS
  • Bryson Thompson, WR | San Antonio, Texas/Claudia Taylor Johnson HS
  • Keaton Wollan, LB | Amery, Wisconsin/Amery HS

Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.





Source link

Continue Reading

Iowa

Iowa DOT plans overnight I‑80 closure at northeast mixmaster

Published

on

Iowa DOT plans overnight I‑80 closure at northeast mixmaster


play

Prepare for more overnight closures at the northeast mixmaster as the Iowa Department of Transportation closes the ramp connecting westbound Interstate 80 and northbound Interstate 35.

Here’s what to know.

Advertisement

When will the Iowa DOT close the westbound I‑80 to northbound I‑35 ramp?

The westbound I-80 to northbound I-35 ramp will be closed to traffic from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the next morning from April 21-24.

What’s the detour when the Iowa DOT closes the westbound I‑80 to the northbound I‑35 ramp?

During the closures, drivers wanting to go from westbound I‑80 to northbound I‑35 will follow a signed detour.

Instead of taking the closed ramp, motorists will stay on westbound I‑80, bypassing the northeast mixmaster connection. They’ll then exit at U.S. Highway 69, turn around, and head back east on I‑80, where they can connect to northbound I‑35 using the open portion of the northeast mixmaster.

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Iowa

Iowa women’s basketball transfer portal visitor commits to Big Ten foe

Published

on

Iowa women’s basketball transfer portal visitor commits to Big Ten foe


An Iowa women’s basketball transfer portal visitor committed to one of the Hawkeyes’ conference foes instead. Former Iowa State guard Kenzie Hare took a visit to Iowa during her transfer portal recruitment, but the 5-foot-9 guard committed to Indiana on Sunday night.

Hare had several visits throughout her transfer portal recruiting process, including trips to Michigan and Illinois State, but the Des Moines Register’s Chad Leistikow reported that Hare also visited Iowa.

On3’s Talia Goodman reported Hare’s commitment to the Hoosiers.

Hare has one year of eligibility remaining. This past season with the Cyclones, in 32 games played and 31 starts, Hare averaged 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game on 40.5% field goal shooting and 40% from 3-point range. A hip injury limited Hare to just 10 games during her first year with the Cyclones in the 2024-25 season.

Advertisement

The soon-to-be redshirt senior transferred to Iowa State before the 2024-25 campaign after spending two seasons at Marquette from 2022-24. Hare averaged a career-best 14 points per game on 45.5% field goal shooting and 42.5% 3-point shooting during the 2023-24 season with the Golden Eagles.

Had Iowa been able to lure the Naperville, Ill., native to Iowa City, Hare would have been another valuable addition to the Hawkeyes’ backcourt depth. But, Iowa has landed other backcourt reinforcements throughout this transfer portal cycle.

The Hawkeyes inked both Dani Carnegie and Amari Whiting.

Carnegie was a first-team All-SEC selection this past season at Georgia, averaging 17.8 points per game on 42.7% field goal shooting, 35.4% from 3-point range and 83.3% from the free-throw line. Whiting averaged 9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game on 42.5% field goal shooting, 32.1% 3-point accuracy, and 71.6% free-throw shooting.

As Hare joins a promising core of players in Bloomington, the Hawkeyes will once again face the former Cyclone at least once this upcoming season as part of their Big Ten regular-season slate.

Advertisement

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending