Keystone Employees and Cooperative Partners Raise $33,990 in Twelve Days for Food Security in Rural Communities
Apr 07, 2025
Indiana-based agriculture and energy cooperative Keystone Cooperative, Inc., has concluded a 12-day internal employee food security drive that raised $11,330. That commitment from the farmer-owned cooperative is now being tripled, as Keystone Cooperative is matching every dollar donated by employees and, farmer-owned regional cooperative Land O’Lakes will match what Keystone Cooperative commits.
The Cooperative Community Initiative was developed to invite employees to play a key part in ending hunger in local rural communities. What may seem like an insignificant amount out of their bi-weekly pay adds up tremendously to serve rural communities. The total money raised to be given back to rural communities through this program is officially $33,990.
“As a farmer-owned cooperative, we are deeply committed to supporting the communities where we live and work,” said Kevin Still, President & CEO of Keystone Cooperative. “Agriculture provides the safest, most abundant food supply in the world, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that families in our rural communities don’t go without. Time and time again, our employees and partners step up in ways that exceed expectations, demonstrating the true spirit of cooperation and service.”
Employees were given the opportunity to give $5 or more out of a single paycheck during 12 days in February through the Cooperative Community Initiative. More than 530 employees participated in the efforts.
“The Cooperative Community Initiative is yet another example of our team’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the rural communities we call home,” said Lindsay Sankey, Director of Public Relations at Keystone Cooperative. “Seeing our employees step up in such a meaningful way—and then having Keystone Cooperative and Land O’Lakes amplify that impact through matching donations—underscores our dedication to addressing food security, one of our core pillars of giving. It brings such meaning to our work when we’re part of a team that leads with generosity and purpose.”
Employees were also given the opportunity to choose specifically where those funds are distributed. They could select churches, schools, community or regional food banks that serve families in their hometowns. It is through this very personal feedback that Keystone Cooperative will now direct those dollars throughout the spring and summer.
“As part of a farmer-owned cooperative, the Land O’Lakes Foundation is deeply committed to hunger relief. This effort begins locally in the communities our members and employees call home, many of them rural.” said Sheilah Stewart, SVP & General Counsel, Land O’Lakes, Inc. “Through our member match program, we’re proud to increase Keystone’s impact and help put food on the table for families who need it most.”
The need for food security has never been greater. According to Feeding America, more than 44 million people in the U.S.—including 13 million children—struggle with hunger. One food bank Keystone Cooperative partners with reported that its foot traffic more than doubled during the pandemic, and that demand has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. The reality is that food insecurity is no longer just a seasonal concern; it persists year-round. Virtual learning shed light on a troubling truth—millions of school-aged children rely on school meals as their primary source of nutrition, making support for food assistance programs more critical than ever.
Keystone plans to hand deliver many of the donations that will serve the rural areas of Indiana, Ohio and Michigan and invite their employees to play a key role in delivery.
The Cooperative Community Initiative was developed to invite employees to play a key part in ending hunger in local rural communities. What may seem like an insignificant amount out of their bi-weekly pay adds up tremendously to serve rural communities. The total money raised to be given back to rural communities through this program is officially $33,990.
“As a farmer-owned cooperative, we are deeply committed to supporting the communities where we live and work,” said Kevin Still, President & CEO of Keystone Cooperative. “Agriculture provides the safest, most abundant food supply in the world, and it’s our responsibility to ensure that families in our rural communities don’t go without. Time and time again, our employees and partners step up in ways that exceed expectations, demonstrating the true spirit of cooperation and service.”
Employees were given the opportunity to give $5 or more out of a single paycheck during 12 days in February through the Cooperative Community Initiative. More than 530 employees participated in the efforts.
“The Cooperative Community Initiative is yet another example of our team’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the rural communities we call home,” said Lindsay Sankey, Director of Public Relations at Keystone Cooperative. “Seeing our employees step up in such a meaningful way—and then having Keystone Cooperative and Land O’Lakes amplify that impact through matching donations—underscores our dedication to addressing food security, one of our core pillars of giving. It brings such meaning to our work when we’re part of a team that leads with generosity and purpose.”
Employees were also given the opportunity to choose specifically where those funds are distributed. They could select churches, schools, community or regional food banks that serve families in their hometowns. It is through this very personal feedback that Keystone Cooperative will now direct those dollars throughout the spring and summer.
“As part of a farmer-owned cooperative, the Land O’Lakes Foundation is deeply committed to hunger relief. This effort begins locally in the communities our members and employees call home, many of them rural.” said Sheilah Stewart, SVP & General Counsel, Land O’Lakes, Inc. “Through our member match program, we’re proud to increase Keystone’s impact and help put food on the table for families who need it most.”
The need for food security has never been greater. According to Feeding America, more than 44 million people in the U.S.—including 13 million children—struggle with hunger. One food bank Keystone Cooperative partners with reported that its foot traffic more than doubled during the pandemic, and that demand has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. The reality is that food insecurity is no longer just a seasonal concern; it persists year-round. Virtual learning shed light on a troubling truth—millions of school-aged children rely on school meals as their primary source of nutrition, making support for food assistance programs more critical than ever.
Keystone plans to hand deliver many of the donations that will serve the rural areas of Indiana, Ohio and Michigan and invite their employees to play a key role in delivery.
