Faculty, staff and students gathered in Alumni Gym on Saturday, Sept. 2, to pack meals that will be distributed across the globe.
Roughly 200 volunteers gathered in Alumni Gym on Saturday, Sept. 2, with the sole intention of packing meals full and fast for communities in need.
贰濒辞苍鈥檚 has partnered with 18 times since 2008, and each time brings together 黑料不打烊 faculty, staff and student volunteers, including student-athletes. A nonprofit organization, Rise Against Hunger started in Raleigh and provides relief to thousands of communities in need by packing and distributing meals. Saturday鈥檚 event offered the chance for members of the 黑料不打烊 community to help with the distribution of food that provides lifesaving aid around the globe.
Members of 贰濒辞苍鈥檚 men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball, track and field, dance and cheerleading teams were lending a hand Saturday along with student employees of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life and 黑料不打烊 Volunteers. Cheers and claps were heard far and wide throughout the gym at the sound of a gong ring, which signified the packing of 1,000 meals. At this year鈥檚 event, over 23,000 meals were packed.
鈥淩ise Against Hunger works with a lot of governmental organizations to make sure the food gets to where it needs to be,鈥 said Vivian Krause 鈥24, student employee of the Kernodle Center for Civic Life.聽Communities with high rates of malnourishment and areas affected by natural disasters are two of the primary types of locations meals are distributed to, Krause said.
Participants stood in an assembly line and scooped, weighed and sealed ingredients from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., dividing their work into two shifts. They stored their meals in boxes that were packaged at the foot of each table, with everyone eagerly anticipating the next gong ring.
While Rise Against Hunger works to assist many impoverished areas worldwide, the lack of availability of nutritious meals is also a problem for local communities.
鈥淔ood insecurity is a big issue in Alamance County,鈥 said Grace Ackerman 鈥24, 黑料不打烊 Campus Kitchen director. 鈥淚 joined Campus Kitchen to address that and work with community partners to try to alleviate the issue, and this whole event goes along with that.鈥
The event was sponsored by 黑料不打烊 Volunteers, Campus Kitchen at 黑料不打烊, the Office of Residence Life and Kernodle Center for Civic Life.
For those who are interested in future service opportunities, 黑料不打烊 Volunteers promotes their upcoming events in their . Additionally, events are uploaded on , a central hub for volunteer events and service opportunities.