Atlantic employees at the Wilmington branch had the opportunity to volunteer at our Food Bank distribution center last night. After an introduction and orientation, we were given our assignment: sorting and boxing 9,000 pounds of canned goods from the NC State Fair.
When it arrived at the food bank, the canned goods were in large pallets, containing far more collard greens and black-eyed peas than even a southerner could eat in a whole year! We were to sort and pack cans into meats, vegetables, fruits, soups, and “pop top” cans. We repacked enough canned goods to fill 4 whole pallets to be distributed to food pantries in the Lower Cape Fear Region.
In addition to doing our small part to help fight against hunger with our Step2Give Challenge, we were able to experience another piece of the large Feeding America Network. In our day-to-day lives, we don’t always get to see how our efforts are helping others. By volunteering at the Food Bank CENC at Wilmington, we saw firsthand how all of the food we sorted and packed was ready to be delivered and served in our local community. The opportunity to see how large the Feeding America Network is, and to how many volunteers and donations are needed, helped us understand that every little bit helps in fighting against hunger across each of our communities.
Thank you to everyone who came out and volunteered!
Check out our volunteer pictures!
Planning on donating to your local food bank? Here are the best foods for donations:
- Canned Fruits, Vegetables, Meat, and Soup (Pop-top cans and low sodium a plus!)
- Whole Grain Pasta, Brown Rice, Dried Beans, and Cereal
- Peanut Butter
- For Infants: Formula, Infant Cereal, Diapers, and Wipes
- For Kids: Fruit Cups, Juice Boxes, Granola Bars, Crackers, Popcorn and Sugar-Free Pudding Cups
- Non-Food Essentials: Hygiene Items, Household Items, and Paper Products
Interested in volunteering in your community? Contact Megan Stark at megans@atlanticpkg.com, or x3132.