Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Despite constant rain Wednesday morning, Larks fans broke their own record for pounds of food collected in one day for the Great Plains Food Bank. Donations filled five pallets and weighed in at more than 3,300 pounds. In 2024, the Jersey Giveaway Food Drive, powered by Farmers Union Insurance, collected 3,150 pounds of food. Taking place at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark, the event is already the largest single-day food drive in the state.

The Great Plains Food Bank will promptly distribute food to children, seniors, and families in Bismarck-Mandan.

“We are grateful to the Bismarck Larks and Farmers Union Insurance for this wonderful partnership, as we end hunger together,” Rebecca Knutson, corporate engagement manager at Great Plains Food Bank, said of the turnout, despite the weather. “The community really shows up to help our neighbors in need, and the food donated today will go out to food pantries and soup kitchens right here in the community.”

In exchange for their donations Wednesday, fans received one limited edition Larks Season 9 Jersey, thanks to support from Farmers Union Insurance. Each year, the Larks design a new, limited edition jersey to encourage and thank fans for giving back. Cars with donations were already lined up at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark starting at 6:50am for the event that began at 8am.

“This is one of my favorite days of the year,” Kevin Ressler, chief sales, marketing, and brand officer for Farmers Union Insurance, said. “Since we started this program with the Larks in 2018, we have collected more than 24,000 pounds of food. You can’t always count on the weather in North Dakota, but you can count on North Dakotans showing up for each other. We are proud to serve a community that tirelessly serves others.”

Larks players and staff joined about 20 Farmers Union Insurance agents to volunteer at the food drive Wednesday morning. The Larks gave away 1,000 jerseys throughout the morning.

Farmers Union Insurance has over 70 years of experience meeting insurance needs of North Dakotans, with 114 agents across 70 locations.

The Great Plains Food Bank is North Dakota’s only food bank, with a partner network of 196 food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and other charitable feeding programs across the state and Clay Count, MN.