Volunteers Pack Thousands Of Meals For The Needy

HALETHORPE, Md. (WJZ) -- Dozens of volunteers were busy in Halethorpe Thursday where they packed thousands of meals for the needy.

Ron Matz reports on the Maryland Food Bank's efforts to help the hungry for the holidays.

"Our mission is creating quality communities and here we are living it right now," said Sarah Schlemker, a volunteer with The Shelter Group.

"It reminds us that 1 in 8 Marylanders are food insecure, and it's a good way to help those less fortunate in our community," said Brian Hammock, a volunteer with CSX.

The community helped at this summer's WJZ and MASN Food Drive.

Twenty thousand boxes were filled Thursday.

"They're packing everything that you need to feed at least a family of four," said Deborah Flateman, president and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank. "all the side dishes and the fixings for a holiday meal."

Karen Gray is here with here coworkers.

"It gives you a good feeling," Gray, with the Corporate Office Properties Trust of Columbia, said. "Doing it with your team, your coworkers knowing that a family is going to have a meal for Thanksgiving."

A blessing for those in need.

"It's out first year," said Don Hubicki, senior VP of Xerox. "It's a great thing the food bank is doing and it's a phenomenal turnout today."

All of the food will be distributed to soup kitchen, pantries and shelters in Maryland in time for the holidays.

"We pack 20,000 boxes and 80,000 people will benefit from this," said Flateman. 'It's a lot of meals.

This is the 7th year for the "Pack to Give back' campaign. Food was also packed at the Maryland Food Bank facilities in Salisbury and Hagerstown.