Hundreds of volunteers package meals for Greater Boston Food Bank during 9/11 day of service
BOSTON -- An incredible outpouring of love was on display at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury Monday as more than 500 volunteers spent the day measuring, pouring, bagging, and boxing up meals for the Greater Boston Food Bank.
It was all part of Boston's pledge to "Do Good" on the 9/11 National Day of Service.
With the help of Meals of Hope and Boston Cares, company volunteers are turning tragedy into a day of giving by creating packets of oatmeal to be distributed to families in great need of a healthy meal.
"We still need to do the work and take care of the people who are still here in honor of the people who sacrificed their lives," said Aprylle Wallace of Greater Boston Food Bank.
Doug Clark took a day off of work from Biogen to volunteer. "I'm actually a veteran so 9/11 impacted me and my family and my community significantly so I like to give back every year," Clark said.
There was singing, followed by a moment of silence for those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in the years that followed.
More than 100,000 packages will be distributed to more than 600 nonprofits that the Greater Boston Food Bank works with across the state.
With the holidays just months away, this food couldn't come at a more critical time.
"The last 28 months shows that now one in three people in eastern Massachusetts are food insecure and that's double of what it was before so everything counts," Wallace said.
Even down to the last grain. "To give back to the community and to make sure people have what they need," said UKG Volunteer Megan Conbersano.