Members of Women United recently volunteered at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, spending an afternoon packing holiday food boxes alongside Food Bank staff and fellow volunteers.
The experience provided hands-on time supporting ongoing efforts to improve food access for individuals and families across Central Alabama.
Since 1982, the Community Food Bank (a United Way of Central Alabama partner agency) has served as a central resource for the region’s response to hunger.
Each year, the Food Bank distributes millions of pounds of food to individuals and families across its six-county service area, working through a network of partner agencies and programs.
Supporting Food Access Across Central Alabama
“We are at an all-time high when it comes to food insecurity,” said Ginger Pegues, the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama’s Director of Development. “That’s why we work every single day to make sure our neighbors have food. In the last year alone, we provided 21 million meals, which is a significant number, but the actual need in Central Alabama is closer to 46 million meals.”
For Women United members, volunteering at the Food Bank offered a firsthand look at how United Way partner agencies operate day to day. It also showed how individual efforts contribute to larger community outcomes.
“It’s meaningful to be able to spend time helping in a way that directly supports families in our community,” said Ginny Willings of Brasfield & Gorrie and a member of Women United’s Steering Committee. “Seeing the process and knowing these boxes will reach people who need them puts our work into perspective.”
Putting Service into Action
Throughout the afternoon, volunteers assisted with sorting and packing food into boxes prepared for distribution. Each box included a variety of items, helping provide recipients with a mix of foods that support basic nutritional needs during the holiday season.
As the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama continues its work to address hunger, collaboration remains essential. Partnerships with United Way of Central Alabama and its donor networks help ensure that food reaches individuals and families across Central Alabama when and where it is needed most.