Iowa State University punter Tyler perkins is kicking off a new fundraising effort to combat food insecurity across the state. The Food Bank of Iowa announced a partnership wiht Perkins today, launching his “Punts for a Purpose” campaign, where donations will increase with every yard he punts during the football season.
The initiative aims to address a critical need: approximately one in eight Iowans and one in six Iowa children face food insecurity. For each yard Perkins averages in a game, he will donate $2 to the Food Bank of Iowa. Story Construction and First National Bank, both based in Ames, will match his contributions dollar-for-dollar, effectively tripling the impact of each punt.
Perkins expressed his commitment to the cause, stating, “here’s the truth: 1 in 8 Iowans and 1 in 6 Iowa kids face food insecurity. Together, we can change that.”
Community members can further support “Punts for a purpose” by donating directly to the campaign or by purchasing specially designed Raygun t-shirts. The Food Bank of Iowa currently serves 55 of Iowa’s 99 counties, distributing over 27.3 million pounds of food - equivalent to 22.7 million meals – annually through a network of 700 partner organizations.
