A Recognized Leader in Delivering Food & Water to Global Communities – The Outreach Program

At the Outreach Program, our mission to end hunger and empower communities has always been our focus. Our efforts wouldn’t be successful without the combined efforts of the countless volunteers and organizations we have partnered with over the years. We are blessed to have played a role in facilitating these efforts, but the recognitions we’ve received are only because of people like you, because “together we make a difference.”

Certifications of Quality & Compassion

Charity Navigator 4 Star Rating

In recognition of our global impact, financial transparency, and leadership, Charity Navigator has repeatedly granted us its 4-Star Rating. This rating indicates that they have vetted us to ensure that our processes meet or exceed industry standards and best practices.

GuideStar Platinum Rating

Our organization earned a 2024 Platinum Seal of Transparency! Now, everyone can see our strategy, metrics, and achievements.

5,000th Point of Light 2013

The George H.W. Bush Points of Light Awards honor individuals who demonstrate the transformative power of service, and who are driving significant and sustained impact through their everyday actions and words that light the path for other points of light.

In his 1989 inaugural address, President George H.W. Bush invokes his vision of a thousand points of light, encouraging community service.

This award was presented by Presidents Obama and George H. W. Bush in the East Wing of the White house in recognition of The Outreach Program’s efforts to end global hunger. Through the generous effort of countless volunteers, our team has been able to provide more than 842 million meals to feed communities around the world.

United Way Preferred Provider

As a preferred provider, we engage with United Ways across the country to change lives in their communities. We partner with the United Way to ensure an exciting, meaningful meal-packaging event that is a perfect way to engage their corporate and community partners in a volunteer activity while creating a meaningful impact locally.

Rotary Collaborating Organization

Rotarians are people of action. They are committed to making a difference in their communities and across the world. Our Four Promises line up with Rotary International’s areas of focus, and we work with Rotary clubs and districts on service projects locally and globally.

Our meal packing events are perfect for clubs of any size and even district-wide projects, and our water systems give Rotarians the chance to take part in WASH programs and even go on international service trips. As Rotarians ourselves, we recognize the impact that Rotary has made in our world and want to continue to increase the impact that Rotarians can have.

USDA Approved Vendor: 2024

Our facility, materials, and production processes meet USDA food safe requirements. As a certified vendor, our meals are listed in the USDA supply catalog and are available for purchase through the USDA.

American Institute of Bakers (AIB) Certified: 2021–2024

Our AIB Certification shows that our machine-packaged meals are packaged in a clean environment and handled in a food safe and sanitary manner, making a meal you’d be eager to cook up.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. Top Customer

We partner with C.H. Robinson to ship nutritious meals across the globe. Together, their team has shipped ingredients for more than 60 million meals.

Our Legacy of Service

Iowa Distinguished Foreign Service Medal: 2023

When Ukraine was attacked and people were in need of food, The Outreach Program provided millions of meals to those devastated by the war.

NABE Global Education Forum Certificate of Appreciation: 2020

This award is to acknowledge the opportunity provided for non-english-speaking children to go to school for an education. Many children abroad and here in America, only speak their native language until they go to school. English is learned in their education process. Many of these children must be provided food before there is nourishment enough for them to learn. Food is a key part of education.

Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame: 2014

Partnering with nine Vista members, we have a vision of making Iowa hunger-free. The Vista members helped us educate several local communities on the very real problem of local food insecurity. We then partnered with those communities to package many meals which were kept for local food pantries.

Governor’s Proclamation Relief for Philippines Day: 2014

On November 8, 2013, typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, killing 6,352 people leaving many people homeless. The Outreach Program sent two containers of meals to aid those in need. With the help of Rotarians in the Philippines, the containers were unloaded and dispersed to those who were in need.

Jack Brewer Global Empowerment Award: 2013

The Outreach Program sent container-loads of our meals to Malawi where it was received by Jack Brewer’s associates and dispersed to children in need providing the nutrition needed for them to be successful in school.

Millenium Development Goal: 2013

The Outreach Program was recognized for making a difference in children’s health (SDG Target 2.2 Malnutrition) because of all the container-loads of nutritious meals sent to Tanzania, Haiti, Malawi, Israel, India, Jamaica, and other countries throughout the world.

Iowa State University’s Black Student Alliance: Charity of the Year 2006–2007

This recognition is in honor of The Outreach Program’s dedication to educating the public about the urgent need for nutrient-dense food, potable water, medical care, and education in Tanzania and other African nations. In 2004, The Outreach Program brought Dr. Rewazara to America so that he could relate his personal account of these needs at numerous conventions, conferences, university campuses, and churches.

Recognition from Food for the Poor – Helping the Poorest of the Poor

Food for the Poor recognizes our ongoing partnership to end hunger in Haiti. Together we have produced, shipped, and distributed many cargo containers of meals (285,120 meals per container) to the Haitian people who have been devastated by generations of poverty and numerous natural disasters.

Help Us Enrich Lives and Empower People Around the World

While we recognize that there is more work to be done, we hope that viewing the tremendous efforts that others have given galvanizes and encourages you to keep moving forward. With your help, we will continue to feed the hungry, set up clean water systems, provide medical care, and empower people through education.

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