PRESS RELEASE
For
more information, contact:
Christine Spanier, Director -
Marketing/Communications
610-685-4588 or [email protected]
Release Date: June 4, 2015
United Way's
"The Big Cheese Project" Helps Fight Local Hunger
Question: What do
you get when you combine 300 community volunteers, mac and cheese fixin's and
the desire to make a difference?
Answer: The Big
Cheese Project
United Way of Berks County is hosting The Big Cheese
Project, a community volunteer activity on Saturday, June 20. The event is
drawing hundreds of volunteers, including families, corporate teams, youth
sport groups and individuals, to assemble and package 100,000 meals to help
fight hunger within our community. Each meal package is nutritionally balanced
to meet recommended dietary guidelines and include all the dry ingredients to
make six servings of mac and cheese. The packaged meals will be provided to the
Greater Berks Food Bank, who will store and distribute the meals to local
people in need. The packages have a two-year shelf life.
?The Greater Berks Food Bank is so appreciative of the
amazing help being offered through The Big Cheese Project by the United Way of
Berks County and the volunteers packing the meals. This donation could not come
at a better time. We typically see an increase in need during the summer months
because children, who receive weekday lunches and sometimes breakfasts at
school, are now home for the summer. The meals provided through The Big Cheese
Project will make a major impact on our efforts to insure local children, and
all of our neighbors in need, stay nourished in the coming months,? says Peg
Bianca, Executive Director.
"When we began planning The Big Cheese Project we were
optimistic about recruiting 300 volunteers to help package 100,000 meals...even
on a Saturday morning in June. Our optimism was right on target because we
reached 300 volunteers in no time. This is another example of the great people
of Berks County coming together to support a need within the community,"
says Tammy White, President of United Way of Berks County. "We are looking
forward to working with the volunteers to pack meals that will be donated to
the Greater Berks Food Bank at a time of year when they can truly use the extra
support to provide nourishing meals to local children and families."
United Way worked with Outreach, Inc., a nonprofit
organization dedicated to providing food, water and medical help throughout the
U.S. and abroad. Outreach, Inc. organizes similar events throughout the country
and provides the meals and supplies. Each meal costs 25 cents; costs were
supported through United Way's community impact budget directed towards meeting
basic needs.
The Big Cheese Project is one of many volunteer projects
occurring the weekend of June 20 as part of the national Day of Action when
communities around the world come together to LIVE UNITED and take action to
address a community challenge.
Date and Time:
The Big Cheese Project takes place on Saturday, June 20th. The project will
take place from 9:00 am through 11:30 am.
Location: Penn
State Berks, Beaver Community Center
Other: The
community can follow the day's activities by following United Way of Berks
County on Facebook and Instagram at #uwberks and #TheBigCheeseBerks