BEDFORD COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A financial firm took action Friday afternoon by hosting a food packaging event in partnership with a non-profit organization at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort.
Edward Jones hosted the event with international organization Rise Against Hunger. The firm’s regional employees volunteered with their spouses and children to package over 10,000 meals in just two hours.
The meals included rice, soy, vegetables and vitamins and will be delivered around the world.
Financial advisor Bret Hrbek said he was grateful to organize the event for his company after working with the organization through his church.
“This particular project really allows us to have hands-on work to put sweat equity into helping people around the world,” Hrbek said.
The volunteers were taught how to package the meals by Rise Against Hunger Partnership Manager Joey Kelly before going to work.
Kelly hosts events like these with businesses, schools, civic programs and more several times a year.
“The thing with these events is the meals being packaged today are going to go help thousands of people that [the volunteers] don’t even know,” Kelly said. “These meals that we’re packaging up today could be going to orphanages, … hospitals … [or] school feeding programs.”
Kelly rang a gong every time the participants reached 1,000 more meals packaged while volunteers cheered with applause.
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He emphasized the sustainability his organization’s events bring. He said Rise Against Hunger partners with other non-government agencies, like organizations that grow sunflower seeds and provide sunflower seed oil or non-profit chicken farms.
To learn how to host your own food packaging event with Rise Against Hunger, to make a donation or to learn more about the organization, head over to their website.