Volunteers pack 10,000 meals for Kiwanis’ End Hunger Project
HAMPDEN — Dozens of volunteers representing Kiwanis New England & Bermuda District 2, made up of 11 clubs from Augusta north to Milo/Brownville and Greenville, and high school Key Clubs from across the region came together on Saturday morning, Jan. 24 to pack 10,000 rice and bean meals to help end hunger.
Via several assembly lines of workers measuring and pouring the meal ingredients and bagging these up, event attendees at the Whitcomb-Baker VFW Post 4633 put together more than 10,000 meals for area residents in need as part of a District 2’s End Hunger Project.
The district is working in partnership with End Hunger New England, an organization helping to remedy food insecurity by organizing meal packaging events such as the one in Hampden.
10,000 MEALS — Volunteers from Kiwanis New England & Bermuda District 2 organizations and area Key Clubs came together at the Hampden VFW on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 24 to pack more than 10,000 rice and bean meals to help fight food insecurity in the area. The Kiwanis district partnered with End Hunger New England, an organization helping to remedy food insecurity by organizing meal packaging events.
“Today we are packaging 10,000 rice and bean meals, that’s (nearly 1,700) bags that are going to food pantries and backpack programs and soup kitchens right here in the Hampden, Maine area,” said JaneMarie Galiette, a New England staff member with the Outreach Program for End Hunger New England.
Having previously needed food stamps to help feed her family of five after her husband lost his job, Galiette became involved with the Outreach Program in 2012 at a food packing at her church. Since then she has attended 282 such events, and in September the New England meal count reached 50 million.
“Each one of the bags has six servings in it according to federal guidelines,” Galiette said about the meals put together in Hampden. “The packet has vitamins and minerals, some spices that make it nutritiously sound for anybody on the planet. Ingredients are rice and beans and soy, soy adds extra protein, and vegetables.”
“This group chose what they wanted to pack based on what the food pantries said that they needed,” she said. “Sometimes they say they need breakfast meals, sometimes they say we need meals for kids on weekends and after school, today they said rice and beans are what are going to be needed the most.”
SEALED TO BE DELIVERED — Hampden Academy freshman Jace Boron closes up a 6-serving bag of rice and beans during a food packing event on Jan. 24 at Whitcomb-Baker VFW Post 4633 in Hampden.
Maine is the second most food insecure state in New England, Galiette said, “So the food they are packaging is much needed in the area.”
“The adults in the household sometimes have to choose between buying food and paying rent or buying food and paying the electric bill or the heating bill, especially on these cold winter days heat is very important – almost as important as food,” she said. “Some families even have to make tough decisions such as buying medicine or paying for food. So when they have this option at a food pantry, it’s filling, it’s nutritious, it’s delicious.”
“I am so excited, I truly am when I have this many folks come out on a cold Saturday morning to help others,” Galiette said. “Our slogan is ‘ending hunger, enriching lives’ and I know that my life has been so much more enriched.”
“All these people are helping people out just like themselves,” she said about the morning’s volunteers assisting their community.
READY FOR PACKING — Dexter Town Manager Trampas King of the Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis gets ready to place packed bags of rice and beans into boxes on Jan. 24 at the Hampden VFW. Kiwanis and Key Club members from across the region traveled to Hampden to help pack more bags for 10,000 meals to help those dealing with food insecurity.
University of Maine senior Jasper Makowski of University of Maine Circle K, a resident of Dover-Foxcroft and 2022 graduate of Foxcroft Academy, joined the club the first week of his freshman year to continue with the community service efforts he did as a Key Club member.
“It’s been a blast, this is not my first rodeo with food packing but every time it’s such a blast to see people enjoying, connecting, having a good time and working together to pack a nutritious meal,” Makowski said.
“It feels great and at the end of the day it’s a win, win, win. It’s a win for the people here getting to know one another,” he said. “It’s a win for the communities to get all the food and it’s a win for those who organized all this.”
“I think the value of all these different organizations coming together is to show students they can continue having an impact beyond college and there are organizations they can continue working with,” Makowski said. “What they do really affects the community outside of campus. I’m happy to see we’re able to pack some good food.”
Hampden Academy freshman Jace Boron joined Key Club after the conclusion of the fall cross country season, saying the organization looked like fun and would be a great way to earn his community service hours.
“I have been over there for the last 20 minutes just sealing bags and it’s actually been really fun,” Boron said.
“I feel like this is a really great way to learn how to do some volunteer work in the future,” he said. “I think the Key Club is a great opportunity and if you ever want to try it out, I think you will meet some great people and have some great experiences.”
Kiwanis New England & Bermuda District 2 received a $2,500 grant from the Kiwanis Foundation of New England and Bermuda for the meals. The district clubs contributed the remaining balance to fund the project.