Around 250 Rutherford County employees and their families packaged 51,250 meals last week in an effort to tackle hunger issues in the community.
The food packing event, organized by The Outreach Program, was the brainchild of Mayor Bill Ketron who had participated in events of its kind during his time as a State Senator.
“This was an excellent team-building exercise for our employees that had a tremendous immediate impact for our food-insecure citizens,” said Ketron. The pre-packaged, nutrient-rich meals were distributed to eight local non-profits who aid in feeding the hungry in Rutherford County.
The original goal of the event was to package 50,000 meals within two hours. Employees not only met, but also exceeded that goal by 1,250 extra meals.
“We look forward to making this a regular event,” said Ketron, “with plans to maybe even double production in upcoming years.”
Donations from local businesses like Rogers Group, Inc., Blue Water Industries, and Smyrna Ready Mix made the event possible. “This event would not have been the success it was without the generous sponsorships and volunteers that made it possible,” commented Ketron.
The Outreach Program was started by Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton of Union Iowa. A non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Outreach has helped to package more than 550 million meals that have been distributed across the United States and around the world. Outreach Meal Packaging Events are set up across the United States to engage businesses, religious and civic organizations, schools, and volunteers of all ages to package nutritious meals for the hungry. Co-Founders Floyd Hammer and Kathy Hamilton were invited to the White House by President Barack Obama and former President H.W.Bush to be honored with the 5,000th Point of Light Award. As a recipient of the top “Four Star” rating from Charity Navigator and GuideStar’s Exchange Seal for transparency, Outreach is committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged individuals. For more information, visit www.outreachprogram.org.
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