Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business recently hosted a meal packing event to combat food insecurity across South Florida with the Palm Beach County Food Bank (PBCFB).
Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business recently hosted a meal packing event to combat food insecurity across South Florida with the Palm Beach County Food Bank (PBCFB).
The inaugural “Pack to Give Back” event featured 300 volunteers packing almost 100,000 meals of pasta in just six hours in the college’s Sean Stein Pavilion, Boca Raton campus, for the South Florida community. FAU President Adam Hasner, Daniel Gropper, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business and Kaye Family professor, along with various FAU faculty and staff members, the FAU men’s soccer team and alumni, all worked together to support the local community.
“I loved the enthusiasm with which Florida Atlantic University students, community members and partners worked together and donated their time on a Saturday to fight hunger insecurity in South Florida,” said Gropper.
The Pack to Give Back Day represents a shared commitment to community service, beginning when Eileen Acello, marketing instructor and advisor to FAU’s American Marketing Association (AMA), sought service hour opportunities for her students. Over the years, Acello has helped strengthen FAU’s connection with the Palm Beach County Food Bank, leading volunteer events, serving on the food bank’s board, and volunteering at the annual Empty Bowls Palm Beach fundraising event.
According to the PBCFB numbers, almost 1 in 5 people go to bed hungry in Palm Beach County, while 1in 9 residents in the county struggle to put food on the table, and local numbers continue to rise as food shortages and economic setbacks increase demand. With approximately 173,000 food-insecure residents throughout Palm Beach County, PBCFB procures food from grocery stores, farmers, food distributors, wholesalers and other sources and distributes it through 200 local community partners, including food pantries, soup kitchens and schools.
“We are so grateful to partner with FAU and to have their generosity in hosting this event,” said Jamie Kendall, chief executive officer of PBCFB. “Every packed bag is a step toward a hunger-free Palm Beach County, and it takes a village to get there. We are excited to see the end result after being joined by passionate and enthusiastic supporters in the FAU community.”
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