Ready, Set, Let’s Start Packaging Meals!
If you haven’t already heard the big news, we’re excited to announce that Rise Against Hunger has resumed meal packaging events to continue our journey of distributing food to the people we serve around the globe. After months of restriction, our organization has revised our event layout to accommodate fewer volunteers, spaced farther apart, incorporating masks in addition to gloves and even more stringent sanitation practices. Our new layout follows CDC guidelines and local regulations to maintain a safe environment for our volunteers and staff.
Our meals are more important now than ever before, as the UN projects that the hunger crisis could double this year due to COVID-19.
Our volunteers and staff have shown that they are up for the challenge! Check out the testimonials below from our volunteers who share their experiences at meal packaging events with our new layout. Also, a few of our Community Engagement Managers share how they’re preparing our warehouses and starting to engage volunteers again across the United States.
“We need to do our part to be ready for when our volunteers are ready so that we can put food on the plates for those who are counting on us, especially right now. We are working to prepare our warehouse to begin meal packaging and we are excited to do so this weekend with The Rotary Club of Sandston and Henrico East Rotary Club. We have cleaned everything we can touch, we have reorganized a space to act as a volunteer welcome center, we are putting signs on the door to inform volunteers to wear their masks and honor social distancing and we are even putting tape on the floor to provide guidance for where to stand and walk. We are so eager to begin packaging but we must do so safely to honor the volunteers that honor us with their donation and service.”
– Mike Nelson, Richmond Community Engagement Manager
“The National Capital team has been gearing up to restart our meal packaging experience with volunteers! We’re getting our warehouse cleaned, organized and ready to roll so that volunteers feel safe in our space. We’re also revamping our event playlist to make sure we keep the fun and excitement going non-stop!”
-Yasmin Ibrahim, National Capital Community Engagement Manager
“To get ready for our CDC compliant meal packaging events, we started by cleaning our space from top to bottom, sectioned off the meal packing space, and then sanitized every touchable surface: from door handles, light switches and tabletops to sink faucets, the water cooler taps and even the volunteers’ sign in pens. We then staged our warehouse to accommodate 9 volunteers, plus 1 event facilitator, with at least 8 feet of space between to maintain social distancing. We staged additional bins and equipment to be replaced between each meal packing shift, and walked through the entire process several times to ensure we could host an enjoyable and fun, but safe meal packaging experience.”
– Blane Maxwell, Charlotte Community Engagement Manager
For over 20 years, our organization has relied on the hands of our volunteers to push our mission of ending world hunger forward. We’re asking you to rise to the challenge and package meals to reach the people we serve around the world — especially during this time of crisis. Join us by signing up today!