09/14/2026
A HUGE Thank You to Our Community! Our 9th Annual ECIAR Food Drive was a tremendous success!
On September 11–12, REALTOR® volunteers greeted shoppers at grocery stores throughout Dubuque, Peosta, Bellevue, Maquoketa and Dyersville—and the generosity of our community was truly incredible! Together, we collected:
🥫 6,000+ pounds of food
💵 $2,656.63 in cash & gift card donations
These donations will help stock the shelves of local food pantries and provide much-needed support to families and individuals in our communities.
But there was another part of the food drive that we loved seeing—the positive influence it is having on so many of our young people in the community. ❤️
Throughout the weekend, we watched parents teach their children the importance of giving back, thinking of others, and helping those in need. We saw families make a special stop to pick up a few extra groceries to donate, with parents showing their children that even a small act of kindness can make a big difference.
Those are the moments that remind us this food drive is about so much more than collecting food. It’s about teaching the next generation the value of compassion, generosity and looking out for others.
A special THANK YOU to our amazing community partners who helped make this event possible:
🚚 Runde Chevrolet – for providing their Community Support Truck
🛒 Hy-Vee – Dubuque (Asbury, Dodge & S. Locust)
🛒 Fareway – Dubuque, Peosta & Dyersville
🛒 Dollar Fresh – Maquoketa
🛒 Bender’s Foods – Bellevue
📰 Telegraph Herald – for helping promote the food drive
And most importantly, THANK YOU to everyone who donated! Whether you donated a bag of groceries, a few dollars, or simply helped spread the word, your generosity makes a difference.
Together, we are helping stock the shelves of our local food pantries, strengthening our communities, and teaching our children what it means to give back.
