The United Way of Greater Greensboro is asking for area citizen’s to pitch in this summer to support the group’s annual meals program – “MeaningFULL Meals” – which the United Way runs along with its community partners: BackPack Beginnings and the Volunteer Center of Greensboro.
In 2013, the United Way and the Volunteer Center got together and started the MeaningFULL Meals program – a nutrition project that seeks food donations to help feed school-aged children in need while school is out for summer.
BackPack Beginnings joined the partnership in 2015 and now serves as the recipient of all the food donations. The program disperses the food to children and families in the community.
The idea behind MeaningFULL Meals is this: During the summer months, many local children don’t have the same access to nutritious meals as they do during the school year and, in some cases, they go hungry during June, July and August.
The community groups behind the program are encouraging citizens to be part of the solution by supporting MeaningFULL Meals this summer. In a Wednesday. July 3, press release, the program backers wrote, “Making a big difference is as easy as 1, 2, 3…”
Here’s how:
- Get a box – there are some available at the United Way office if needed.
- Fill your box with donated food items. (Citizens can find a full list of needed items at UnitedWayGSO.org/meaningFULL)
- Drop off those items at BackPack Beginnings during the office hours listed at backpackbeginnings.org/contact.
According to stats from the United Way, Greensboro is hit particularly hard by food insecurity and poverty. The group states that 57,000 Greensboro residents, including one out of every four children, live in poverty. The United Way also states that the federal government defines poverty as a family of four earning less than $24,600 per year.
According to local self-sufficiency standards, the organization claims, many four-member households need to earn around $60,000 to meet their basic needs without subsidized assistance.
