GROVE CITY, Pa. – More than 200 volunteers at Grove City College will prep and pack 70,000 meals Saturday for distribution across Mercer and Allegheny counties.
The service event will bring together students, faculty, staff and community members to help those in need in the region.
It’s the first time the college has participated in an event of this size, said Thomas Biro, director of campus discipleship and community engagement.
“As a Christ-centered institution, we are called to love our neighbor, and the work is valuable because of that calling,” he said. “We hope that volunteers gain a greater understanding of the needs of our neighbors off campus, and that our service will continue beyond this event as we look to increase Grove City College’s community engagement.”
The volunteers will pack ingredients for a fortified bean and rice casserole supplied by Meals of Hope, an organization committed to combatting hunger, for distribution by Amen to Action, an outreach of the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation. The food packages are designed to address the need for an economical, nutritious solution to aid in the fight against hunger.
The work Saturday in the college’s Physical Learning Center is part of a wider effort by the foundation involving churches and other organizations in the region, where food insecurity is a significant problem. Nearly 20% of Mercer County residents receive food aid from the government, a news release states.
Though the effort isn’t directly in response to recent cuts to federal food assistance, Biro said it came at a “providential time, given the circumstances.”
Ingredients were purchased with the support of donors, including Flynn’s Tire & Auto Service, The Community Foundation of Western PA and Eastern Ohio, Grove City College alumni and community members.