photo courtesy United Way of Berks County
In June, crowds will descend on Penn State Berks Campus. They will hear the music and feel the energy resonating from Beaver Community Center. However, it will not be for an athletic event or dance (although dancing is involved). It will be for the largest meal-packing event of its kind in the Northeast. And you can be a part of it.
In 2017, United Way of Berks County (UWBC) hosted Big Cheese 3, where 1,000 community volunteers joined forces to package 500,000 mac and cheese meals in just six hours. This was the largest event of its kind organized by ANY United Way in the country. United Way Worldwide recognized UWBC for the magnitude of the event. And it’s happening again this year at Big Cheese 4+ More!
Why Focus on Meal Packing?
“Unfortunately, food insecurity is a struggle for many families in our community,” explains Tammy White, President, UWBC. “The Big Cheese is a unique, fun volunteer opportunity to provide nutritionally-fortified meals to the Greater Berks Food Bank to help families put food on the table.”
“The Big Cheese helps drive home to the community that hunger is a very real problem here in Berks County and that the Greater Berks Food Bank (GBFB) cannot achieve its mission of feeding the hungry alone,” shares Peg Bianca, Executive Director, GBFB. “The partnership with United Way shows that we stand together in addressing this serious issue and together can achieve even greater strides in feeding the hungry.”
Where Do the Meals Go?
Meals are primarily distributed through GBFB’s Weekender Program, sending 800 low-income students at 10 Berks’ suburban and rural elementary schools home with a bag filled with food each Friday throughout the school year. “Not only are the mac and cheese meals extremely popular, they are easy to prepare and serve. They help nourish children over the weekend, a time they often go without, so that they can show up for school feeling energized and ready to learn,” Peg shares.
In addition to providing meals to GBFB, in 2018, United Way will provide a number of meals to Reading School District to distribute to their students throughout the 2018-19 school year. Also, for variety, in addition to packing mac and cheese, volunteers will pack rice and bean meals this year.
How Can You Help?
Big Cheese is a BIG undertaking; 1,100 volunteers are needed to make it happen in 2018! Employee teams from companies across Berks support the effort. “I’ve volunteered at Big Cheese since its inception in 2015. It’s an awesome demonstration of people coming together to make a difference, and I’m grateful to be involved,” says Josh Wilder, EnerSys employee.
During this fast-paced event, volunteers assist with putting together boxes and working an assembly line to package meals while grooving to tunes provided by Red Tie Affairs. Heavy lifters are needed to carry boxes of product to assembly lines. Children age 10 and up may participate with an adult. Every volunteer receives a Big Cheese T-shirt sponsored by Lasting Image. Registration opens April 27 at Noon. Last year’s event filled in just four days – sign up quickly to be a part of this amazing experience!
For more info contact
Darby Wiekrykas, UWBC
Volunteer Engagement Program Manager, at 610.685.4574 or DarbyW@uwberks.org.
