Money from Flood 2008 Fund Helps Keep Bellies Full

By Justin Foss, Reporter

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By Justin Foss

Story Created: Mar 20, 2010 at 8:51 PM CST

Story Updated: Mar 20, 2010 at 8:51 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS - For the last year and a half, Alex Lyon and hundreds of Americorps workers have had a hot, home-cooked lunch while they are far away from home.

"This holds a very special place in my heart,” said Lyon.

Americorps Vista workers come from across the country to do work, and they don't get paid much to be there. Yet they're a big part of the rebuilding process in Cedar Rapids.

Each weekday morning, volunteers with the Meet and Eat program prepare a lunch for sometimes as many as 100 of the Americorps workers. Since the flood, that's a lot of lunches.

"To be precise, 35,689,” said Meet and Eat Volunteer Coordinator Deb Sedlacek.

The meals are free, but that doesn't mean they're free to make. Since Meet and Eat started, the Greater Cedar Rapids Community foundation gave the program a total of $75,000 in grants from the Flood 2008 Fund.

"There's been so many places that have needed help, we're not the only ones in need, by any means,” said Meet and Eat Director Joan Force.

To date, the flood fund has taken in $5.6 million, and has handed out $5.4 million dollars.

Cash for Meet and Eat means more meals that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

"We probably could have got through Christmas of 2008, and beyond that I don't think we could have done it,” said Sedlacek.

"This definitely is a nice re-charge,” said Lyon. “Keeps us healthy, keeps us strong and our minds thinking right."

And it keeps recovery in Cedar Rapids on the front burner, especially considering Lyon said none of the other places he’s volunteered have offered the same kind of help keeping their bellies full.

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation is about to make another round of grants, and KCRG-TV9 hopes to provide the updated financial documents of the Flood 2008 fund after those grants are made.

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