Local Channel SeedPro donates $5,000 to Polo food pantry

POLO – A Polo native and Channel SeedPro employee helped secure a $5,000 donation that will help feed residents who frequent a local food pantry.

Ellen Rahn presented the donation to Polo Lifeline & Self Help on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Kathy Wragg, food pantry director, accepted the donation as the pantry buzzed with activity with clients filling grocery carts with food staples ahead of the holiday season.

“We have earmarked this donation for beef,” Wragg said. “We will be purchasing beef over the next few months.”

Rahn, who grew up in Polo, said the Channeling Good program made the donation possible.

“I think it is good to reinvest back into the community where you grew up,” Rahn said.

Since 2021, Channeling Good has been dedicated to giving back to organizations that enhance farmers’ lives and strengthen rural communities, the company said in a news release.

“The initiative first started as a way to serve the communities of Mt. Vernon and Lisbon, Iowa who were affected by the devastating derecho storms that impacted Iowa in 2020. After seeing the impact of serving those communities, the Channel brand made the decision to expand the initiative to local communities across rural America. In the launch year of localizing this initiative, Channel has given $175,000 to organizations across rural America,” according to the release.

In April, Channel SeedPros nominated local nonprofits in their area for a chance to receive a donation from Channeling Good.

“Channel SeedPros across the country have directed donations to youth agriculture programs, emergency response organizations, schools, food banks and many more organizations that are dedicated to the success and preservation of rural America,” according to the release.

Wragg said demand has been high at the pantry and the $5,000 donation comes at a crucial time.

“This is a very good thing,” Wragg said. “Our need is greater than ever. We are currently serving 120 families a month. That is families, not just individuals.”

Channel Brand Manager Jenna Maltbie said the company is dedicated to serving the local community.

“At Channel, service has always been at the heart of everything we do. We are honored to partner with local nonprofit organizations across the country who are truly making a difference in their local communities. Our hope is that these funds can produce a lasting impact across rural America for years and generations to come,” Maltbie said in the release.

About Channeling Good, a Channel brand Initiative

At the Channel brand, one of the core pillars is staying connected to farmers and the communities they live and work in. To further its commitment, it works with our Channel SeedPros to invest in 501(c)3 charitable organizations truly making a difference.

Through the initiative, Channel SeedPros nominate local nonprofit organizations for a chance to receive a donation from the Channel Brand.