ATLANTA (WUPA) — Several hundred volunteers recognized the 9/11 National Day of Service during a large-scale hunger relief event held on Monday in Atlanta.
Team spirit was alive and well inside the Georgia World Congress Center, with volunteers putting in work on the 9/11 National Day of Service.
“We all remember the tragic events that took place a little over 21 years ago, so we’re just coming together to help pack some meals and feed the Metro Atlanta community,” said Hands On Atlanta Community and Civic Engagement Manager Jadrien Grimes.
Grimes said there were two shifts and about 300 volunteers total, with Mayor Andre Dickens joining the effort during the afternoon. They were among the nearly 12,000 participating around the country, representing more than 200 businesses and organizations, including Coca-Cola, Holland and Knight, Wells Fargo, and Newell Brand.
Hands On Atlanta, a non-profit that gathers volunteers to help meet the needs of the community, helped organize the event.
“We’re packing oatmeal today for folks, so they’ll be able to get a nutritious brunch or lunch, however, they deem fit to use it,” Grimes said. “Any time we have an opportunity to play a part to be impactful to help feed our community, we’ll always be down to do that,” he said.
The Atlanta Community Food Bank reports over 715,000 Metro Atlantans are food insecure, and one in seven are children. The more than 150,000 meals volunteers packed for the food bank are part of the ongoing efforts to address the problem.
“We’ve been doing this for some years now, but Meals of Hope is out of Naples, Florida, and we definitely enjoy partnering and connecting with communities and organizations all throughout the United States,” said Teddy Tripp, a volunteer with Meals of Hope. “It means so much, because we know there are so many families that go without,” Tripp said.
“Life is about service, and I think that is the one thing, if you’re blessed, then you should be able to bless someone else,” said Berkshire Hathaway Volunteer Iris Owens.
Learn More about Meals of Hope
Ready to make a difference in your community? To learn more about Meals of Hope, read more here. To get you or your organization involved in our next meal packing event, fill out our form here. We can’t wait to hear from you!