10 September 2026, US: The World Food Prize Foundation announced today it will attempt to break the world record for the most hunger relief meals packaged in one hour on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines.
The Foundation will gather volunteers at the Iowa Events Center’s EMC Expo Center with a goal to package 600,000 meals. The current world record is 530,064 meals, but the Foundation, working in partnership with Meals from the Heartland, aims to unite thousands of individuals to surpass this number.
While the goal is to break a world record, the larger purpose is to address food insecurity and malnutrition by providing nutritious meals to children and families in need. Hunger remains prevalent around the world with 1 in 5 children not having access to a nourishing diet and locally 1 in 6 children in Iowa face food insecurity. By recruiting over 1,000 volunteers to execute the world record, the Foundation aims to feed 2,307 children for an entire year. Half of the meals packaged during the attempt will be distributed to children across Iowa, while the other half will be distributed to eight countries.
“Providing support for vulnerable populations does not happen in a vacuum,” said Mashal Husain, President, World Food Prize Foundation. “Together, there is a shared responsibility to step up in service to make real progress to provide nutritious meals for all.”
Since 2008, Meals from the Heartland has distributed more than 290 million meals formulated to meet the dietary needs of children around the world. The organization hosts meal-packing events that bring volunteers together to address hunger and food insecurity, and through its partnership with the World Food Prize Foundation, thousands of volunteers will come together to package meals as part of the world-record attempt.
“Meals from the Heartland is honored to be part of the World Food Prize’s 40th anniversary celebration and this incredible effort to bring people together around a common purpose,” said Chuck Current, Executive Director, Meals from the Heartland. “Half of the meals we pack will stay right here in Iowa, helping our neighbors, while the other half will travel around the world to help children and families in need. It’s a powerful reminder that whether hunger is in our own backyard or halfway around the world, we all have a role to play in making sure people have access to nutritious food.”
In order to break the world record and have the resources to package 600,000 meals, funding is needed. Thanks to sponsors Cargill, Holganix, NCMIC and others, $137,500 has already been raised, but $200,000 is still required.
“Breaking a world record is not an easy feat, but with partnership of the Des Moines community and Meals from the Heartland, nourishing meals will be packaged and distributed to hungry children,” said Tom Vilsack, Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation. “We have a unique opportunity to unite under one shared goal to feed thousands.”
The event will take place during the 2026 Borlaug Dialogue and volunteers will arrive at the Expo Center by 5:30 p.m. For more information relating to the world record attempt, Borlaug Dialogue and to sign up as a volunteer, click HERE.
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