In 2003, the Kieser family read an article in The Pantagraph describing a problem close to home. Ten nonprofit organizations in central Illinois needed food to continue serving people in their communities. The article could have ended as another reminder that hunger exists. Instead, it became the beginning of Midwest Food Bank. As the Kiesers talked about the need, they realized something important. God had already placed many of the resources they needed right in front of them. They had a seed shed that could store food. They had a semi tractor to pick up donated loads. They had family members and friends willing to volunteer. Most importantly, they believed God was calling them to help. They did not know where that first step would lead. They simply said yes.
More than twenty years later, Midwest Food Bank has grown beyond anything those early volunteers could have imagined. Today, the ministry serves nonprofit partners across the United States and internationally through food distribution and disaster relief. Much has changed. What has not changed is the culture that was formed on that family farm. That same philosophy continues to guide how Midwest Food Bank grows today, not by expanding as quickly as possible, but by building strong local leadership and lasting community partnerships.
Midwest Food Bank was founded in 2003 by the Kieser family in McLean County, Illinois. After reading a local newspaper article about food insecurity, the family offered what they already had — a seed shed for storage, a semi tractor for pickups, and a network of volunteers — to begin collecting and distributing food to nonprofit organizations across central Illinois. More than twenty years later, the organization has grown into a nationwide ministry distributing food across the United States and internationally through food distribution and disaster relief.
How Midwest Food Bank Grows: Local Leadership First
That same servant-hearted approach continues to shape every new Midwest Food Bank division. The organization expands thoughtfully, one community at a time.
Every new division begins with local leaders who recognize a need and are committed to serving their neighbors. Before opening a new location, Midwest Food Bank follows a proven 10-step expansion process designed to support long-term success. The process includes confirming a genuine community need, building strong local leadership and an advisory board, securing sustainable local funding, engaging community partners, and ensuring each new division aligns with the Midwest Food Bank mission and values.
This intentional approach has helped the organization grow from a single Illinois location in 2003 to a network of divisions serving communities across the United States and internationally.
The Mission Behind Midwest Food Bank: Faith, Food, and Service
Midwest Food Bank exists to share the love of Christ by alleviating hunger and malnutrition and providing disaster relief. That mission is as clear today as it was in 2003.
The food we distribute is important, but it is not the reason we exist. We exist to serve people. Every pallet, every truckload, and every volunteer shift is an opportunity to care for our neighbors and reflect the love of Christ.
As the organization has grown, we have worked hard to protect what our founders often describe as the purity of purpose. We never want growth to become the goal. The goal has always been faithful service. That simple focus continues to guide every decision we make.
The “We Say Yes” Culture: How MFB Responds to Every Need
One phrase has become part of the culture at Midwest Food Bank.
“We say yes, and then figure it out.”
That spirit began with the founders. The Kieser family did not have every answer when they read that newspaper article. They simply knew there was a need and believed they should help. The details came later. That same attitude still shapes the organization today.
Whether responding to a natural disaster, rescuing a large food donation, or helping a nonprofit partner facing an unexpected challenge, our first response is usually the same.
How can we help?
Once we answer that question, we bring together the people, partnerships, and resources needed to make it happen. It is not about taking unnecessary risks. It is about believing that when God opens a door to serve, we should walk through it with faith and good judgment.
Ways to Support Midwest Food Bank: Give, Volunteer, or Donate Grain
One phrase has long been associated with Midwest Food Bank.
Sharing the Blessings.
Those words describe more than what we do. They describe how we think. The first blessings were already sitting on the Kieser family farm. A seed shed. A truck. Family. Friends. Time. Willing hands. Those blessings were shared with others. Today the blessings look different, but the principle remains the same.
Corporate Donors
A manufacturer donates food that would otherwise go unused.
A retailer gives surplus inventory.
A company makes a financial gift.
Volunteer Opportunities
A volunteer gives a Saturday morning.
Charitable Grain Program
Every gift is different, but everyone is an opportunity to bless someone else. We believe God has entrusted each of us with something we can share.
Volunteers: The Heart of Midwest Food Bank
Long before Midwest Food Bank had warehouses and loading docks, there were volunteers loading food on a family farm. That volunteer culture is still one of our greatest strengths.
Each year, tens of thousands of volunteers give their time to help sort food, prepare shipments, drive trucks, and respond to disasters.
Many of our volunteer truck drivers have agricultural backgrounds. Some farm during the busy seasons and drive for Midwest Food Bank when the pace of farm life slows. Others have retired from farming but still want to put their skills and experience to work serving others. They understand equipment. They understand logistics. They understand hard work. Most importantly, they understand what it means to help a neighbor. The faces may be different than they were in 2003, but the spirit is the same.
Stewardship Is in Our DNA
Farmers learn early that resources are meant to be cared for.
- Equipment is maintained.
- Land is managed carefully.
- Harvests are planned long before they are gathered.
That same mindset influences the way Midwest Food Bank operates.
Our business model is built on stewardship. We rescue surplus food and donated products from manufacturers, growers, retailers, and other partners. Those products are then distributed at no cost to nonprofit organizations serving people in their communities. Every donated product represents someone’s generosity. Every volunteer hour represents someone’s time. Every financial gift represents someone’s trust. We believe those gifts should be stewarded wisely. We believe those gifts should be stewarded wisely.
Agriculture Still Walks Beside Us
Midwest Food Bank has grown well beyond the agricultural community, and we are grateful for the partnerships we have across many industries. At the same time, agriculture remains an important part of our story. Companies such as GROWMARK, Precision Planting, Caterpillar, and many others have supported our mission through volunteers, financial gifts, and product donations.
Farmers also support Midwest Food Bank through our Charitable Grain Program. Instead of writing a check, many producers choose to donate grain from their harvest. That grain becomes financial support for the ministry, allowing farmers to share the blessings of their harvest with families they may never meet.
These partnerships remind us that feeding communities has always been a shared effort.
How Midwest Food Bank Supports Farmers and Agricultural Communities
When Hurricane Helene damaged communities across the Carolinas, the needs extended beyond homes and businesses. Livestock producers were also struggling. Hay had been destroyed. Pastures were damaged. Farmers worried about feeding their animals.
One Midwest Food Bank donor offered excess hay from his own operation. Working together with partners, multiple truckloads of hay were delivered to farming communities that desperately needed it. Helping livestock producers was not a separate mission. It was simply another opportunity to serve our neighbors.
Our roots help us recognize needs that others might overlook because they are needs we understand.
Founded by a Farmer. Led by a Farmer.
The connection between Midwest Food Bank and agriculture did not end with our founders.
Today, our Chief Executive Officer, Eric Hodel, continues to farm with his family while leading the organization. He raises grain and sheep and serves as a leader in the local Farm Bureau. That experience brings an important perspective to Midwest Food Bank. Farming teaches patience. It teaches stewardship. It teaches resilience. Most of all, it teaches dependence on God. Being founded by a farmer and now led by a farmer is more than an interesting fact. It reflects the values that continue to shape our culture every day.
MFB’s Agricultural Roots: Where the Story Began
Midwest Food Bank serves communities far beyond central Illinois today. Our partners include churches, corporations, manufacturers, retailers, transportation companies, foundations, volunteers, and generous donors from every walk of life. We are grateful for every one of them. Yet we never want to forget where our story began. It began with one
family reading about a need in the local newspaper. It began with a seed shed. It began with volunteers. It began with a simple decision to share the blessings God had already provided. Those roots continue to shape the way we serve today.
We still believe in helping our neighbors.
We still believe in stewarding God’s gifts wisely.
We still believe in saying yes when there is an opportunity to serve.
And we still believe that every good thing this ministry has accomplished has been possible because of God’s faithfulness.
Get Involved with Midwest Food Bank: Volunteer, Donate, or Give Grain
Whether you are a farmer, work in agriculture, lead a business, belong to a church, or simply want to make a difference, there is a place for you at Midwest Food Bank.
Volunteer your time.
Make a financial gift.
Support the Grain Program.
You can introduce Midwest Food Bank to your company or community.
Together, we can continue sharing the blessings God has given us, just as one family began doing on a farm in McLean County more than twenty years ago.
