SHARE Iowa Program

MASON CITY- In today's economy, any way to cut cost's sounds good.

One organization is doing just that with monthly groceries, and it's for anyone who likes to help their community.

The share Iowa program has stations set up all across the midwest, including Mason City.

It's an organization that's not well known but has a simple cause....to distribute cheap groceries while helping out communities, at the same time.

Nate Kueker's found a great way to get his monthly groceries.

He says, "in today's economics, food is expensive and this helps out especially people on a fixed income."

He's a part of the SHARE Iowa organization that helps anyone save up to 50% on their average groceries bill with just a small catch....the have to complete two hours of volunteer service a month.

Team coordinator Debra Garlinghouse says, "helping out with your church, running around for people, anything you can do that you don't get paid for is volunteering."

The program offers five to six different package choices and price ranges, while the contents change every month.

One of the biggest selling packages this month is this Best Value Package deal. For just $22 and two hours of volunteering you get four different meats, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Getting started is easy.  All you have to do is contact your local SHARE Iowa station, order your package, then pick it up on distribution day.

Kueker says, "it's not used enough, there's a lot more people who can benefit from this and don't even know about it."

SHARE's mission is to invite people to share food, save money and serve others, and so far folks in this community feel the same way.

SHARE Iowa volunteer, Mike Evans says, "it's helped me in my food bill plus the satisfaction of helping other people."