In Boca, volunteers pack meals for Ukrainian families in need

Over 450 volunteers recently helped Food For The Poor pack 116,640 MannaPack rice meals for families in need in Ukraine during the Join The Pack Ukraine event at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton.

The Coconut Creekbased Food For The Poor partnered with Feed My Starving Children to box the MannaPack meals, which is a specially formulated rice meal packed with vitamins and essential nutrients.

Food For The Poor Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Mark Khouri told the volunteers that while Ukraine is outside the charity’s usual reach, Feed My Starving Children has built a longstanding network in the war-torn country that provides assurances that the meals will get to the people who need them the most.

“Our donors really wanted to respond to the crisis in Ukraine,” Khouri said in a statement. “We’re so grateful to all of our supporters who came to FAU to help us pack food and show that love and solidarity for the people of Ukraine.”

At the end of each of the three packing sessions, volunteers were invited by Feed My Starving Children staffers to pray over the boxes of meals they had just packed. Volunteers also raised money to help cover the cost of shipping the meals and provide ongoing humanitarian aid in Ukraine and surrounding areas where refugees have fled.

Volunteers including local businesses, churches, community groups and civic-minded individuals including Bill Bachrodt, whose family’s automotive

group was among the event’s sponsors, who said packing meals was a meaningful experience to share with family and employees.

“We want our employees to be community-oriented and we’re looking for opportunities for them to volunteer,” Bachrodt said in a statement. “It’s very gratifying knowing you’re able to give something back directly to Ukrainians.”

Aside from Bachrodt Automotive Group, other sponsors included longtime donors Gerry and Marilyn Ogier, Key Food, Hormel, ResourceOne, Seaboard Marine, Sonitrol and Goya.

FOOD FOR THE POOR/COURTESY PHOTOS More than 450 volunteers filled FAU Arena to help Food For The Poor pack 116,640 lifesaving MannaPack rice meals for children and families in desperate need in Ukraine. The event drew South Florida churches, businesses, community groups and civic-minded individuals.