Akin Locations Team Up to Pack the Local Pantries

Akin Building Centers “Pack the Pantry” Effort Helped Support Local Food Pantries in 2025

During November and December of 2025, Akin Building Centers locations across southwest Iowa came together with their communities for their “Pack the Pantry” initiative. The effort focused on collecting food items and donations to help local food pantries during the holiday season, a time when many families need extra support.

Thanks to the generosity of customers, employees, and community partners, several Akin locations were able to deliver hundreds of donated items and financial contributions to local pantry organizations, helping ensure neighbors in need had access to food during the holidays.

Creston

The Creston Akin Building Centers team collected and delivered more than 100 food items to their local food pantry. The donations were dropped off by Store Manager Tony Young and HR Specialist/Safety Compliance Coordinator Michele Draper.

Community members played an important role in the effort by bringing items into the store throughout the campaign, helping Creston successfully contribute to the Pack the Pantry initiative.

Clarinda

The Clarinda location collected an impressive 339 items, which were delivered to the Southwest Iowa Families organization in Clarinda. Staff at the organization shared that the timing of the donation was especially meaningful, as their pantry had been nearly empty before the delivery.

Atlantic

In Atlantic, the Akin Building Centers team partnered with the community’s Scrooge Contest to help raise donations for the Atlantic Food Pantry. The store teamed up with Team York — Dave and Kristy York, whose fundraising efforts helped generate more donations than any other contestants.

Their campaign ultimately broke the record for the Scrooge Contest, earning Team York the title of Atlantic’s Scrooges for the Christmas season while providing significant support for the local pantry.

Corning

The Corning Akin Building Centers location also contributed to the initiative by donating both funds and food items to their Matura Community Action. Their support helped ensure additional resources were available for families in the Corning community during the holiday season.

Supporting Communities During the Holidays

The 2025 Pack the Pantry campaign highlighted the power of community partnerships and generosity. Through donations, fundraising efforts, and community involvement, Akin Building Centers and their customers helped make a meaningful difference for local food pantries and the families they serve across southwest Iowa.

Pictured during the donation were Store Manager Dick Auffert, HR Specialist/Safety Compliance Coordinator Michele Draper, and Cortney Young from Southwest Iowa Families.

Tony Young, Retail Specalist and Michele Draper, Owner/Hr Specalist Dropping Off Food Donations to Pantry in Creston, Iowa.

Eric Amdor, Creston Manager Delivering donations to Matura Community Action.