Register as a Volunteer for Hunger Heroes Spring Edition

United Way of Greater New Bedford’s Hunger Heroes Project began as a Thanksgiving packaging event the whole family could get involved with on Family Volunteer Day, where volunteers gather to sort and package 1,000 Thanksgiving meals for families in need in our community. After six successful years organizing this event, the organization is now introducing the 1st Annual Hunger Heroes: Spring Edition. This event will serve local school-aged children with nutritious packaged meals and snacks to keep students fed over the spring vacation. All meal packs will be distributed by the local public schools.

Victoria Grasela is the Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement at United Way of Greater New Bedford. She explained that volunteers will be needed for a variety of positions as UWGNB works to fill nutritious packaged meals and snacks for school-aged children in need in the Greater New Bedford area.

“The event will take place Saturday, April 10, and will include packaging meals for local children from food-insecure homes, providing boxed meals and snacks to keep them full,” Grasela said. “This year, spring into action and become a Hunger Hero!”

Registration opens on Friday, March 19 at 9 am. Click HERE for more information.

Grasela mentioned that there are some changes to be expected in regards to the process of the event.

“For those of you who have been in the past, the set-up of the event will change," Grasela said. "Instead of one large packing assembly line, we will be breaking into two separate lines. Each line will have sorters/packers and meal wrappers assigned to it to further implement social distancing."

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, space is limited to 50 people on-site at a time. Those interested in volunteering are asked to only sign up for one shift and that community groups do not register for this event. If you have a community group looking to give back, please contact Meighread at mdandeneau@unitedwayofgnb.org or 508-994-9625 ext. 228. Please click HERE for COVID-19 precautions and descriptions of the positions available.

This year's event will be at Keith Middle School located at 225 Hathaway Road in New Bedford.

If you are unable to volunteer at this year’s event, but would still like to get involved, there are a few options to do so:

1. Make a donation to Hunger Heroes to allow UWGNB to purchase the additional food items needed. Click HERE to donate.
2. Purchase items off the Hunger Heroes: Spring Edition Amazon List. Items can be sent directly to the United Way of Greater New Bedford’s office. Click HERE to view the list.
3. Host a food drive at your company or with friends and family. Contact Meighread at mdandeneau@unitedwayofgnb.org to get started today.
4. Donate the needed items to the Hunger Heroes Food Drop on Saturday, April 3 from 10 am to 12 noon. Click HERE for details.