10/16/2026
LUTHER GESME, Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank board president, shared his thoughts to board members at the Food Bank’s annual meeting on Oct. 12. The board is sharing his words with our many loyal supporters who have enabled the all-volunteer charity to feed our neighbors in need since 1981.
Rejoice! As we look back at the past year, it’s abundantly clear that through our joint work for our 45th consecutive year, we have brought relief to hunger in Mason City and surrounding counties. This puts us right in line with our stated “purpose of being”. We stayed on track to achieve our “goals” of adequate food and dollars available to meet the emergency needs of area families.
One of the most challenging areas of concern is the current lack of updated political programs for us to base our efforts to feed the hungry. As I write this SNAP and its rules and funding is mostly undetermined. There is no new farm program in place, hence, little commodity product is coming from producer groups via the USDA. We see general food cost pressure on all family sizes. Therefore, alertness is needed by each of us to affect a positive response.
Again, this year we continue to see new clients pass through our door weekly, the City of Mason City is actively promoting the expected construction of price-conscious housing. The “build it and they will come” complex is alive and well.
Our largest source of income continues to come from individuals who represent 73 percent of yearly income. We must continue to be the “cheerleaders” for Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank to assure us the needed funding as well as volunteers to handle the ongoing needs.
WHY ARE WE HERE? we may ask ourselves. For 45 years faith-based people have answered this silent calling. As we find in Psalm 146: 5-7, we are God’s hands here to give food to the hungry. This we do at an active, collective participation level. This will propel us as a future sustaining entity.
Luther Gesme. Hawkeye Harvest Food Bank Board President
