The Hawks and State Farm, as part of a community initiative, are asking for volunteers to help with a Million Meal Pack event to assemble meals to be distributed throughout metro Atlanta. Under the direction of Feeding Children Everywhere, an organization described as dedicated to creating a hunger-free world, 5,000 volunteers are needed for the project on Oct. 5 at State Farm Arena.
The food assembly will require six 90-minute shifts with 700 to 900 volunteers each to reach the target number of meals. The meals from the event will be a shelf-stable, dried Jambalaya mix that yields six servings when prepared. The Hawks and State Farm are asking employee and community groups, schools, churches, sororities, fraternities and local businesses, along with individuals ages 5-and-up to register for at least one shift. Those in attendance will be volunteering alongside influencers from the worlds of sports, entertainment, government and business, during a family-fun filled day with music, performances, free swag, giveaways and more.
Every person that completes a volunteer shift will receive a voucher for a free pair of tickets to an upcoming Hawks home game. Exact game dates will be available following the release of the upcoming season schedule.
“The partnership between the Hawks and State Farm is rooted in a commitment to improving our community,” Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said in a statement. “Lack of access to regular, nutritious meals is an issue for many Atlantans and we are urging the participation of our friends, fans, and the entire city to help us reach the goal of producing one million meal packs to help address this crucial need.”
According to statistics provided by Feeding Children Everywhere, one in four children in Atlanta are facing hunger, while the number of high poverty neighborhoods in metro Atlanta has tripled since 2000, as the population has grown.
”Giving back and strengthening communities is deeply embedded in the State Farm culture.” State Farm Enterprise Technology Executive DeWayne Griffin said in a statement. “Local State Farm agents and employees are excited to partner with the Atlanta Hawks and the Atlanta community to impact the realities of food insecurity by working together with thousands of volunteers to make sure one million of our neighbors receive a good meal.”
For more information or to register go to hawks.com/mealpack.
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